Madre de Cacao
Erythrina poeppigiana

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 30 m tall. The branches have prickles and the trunk has lumps. The leaves are alternate and compound. They have 3 leaflets each 20 cm long. They are broad with a pointed tip. The flowers are 4-5 cm long. They are shaped like pea flowers. They are orange to red. The fruit is a pod. It is 10-25 cm long. The seeds are brown.

There are 108 Erythrina species. It is used as shade for cacao and coffee plantations.

Where it is found

It is common in tropical America. It is a native of the Andes in Peru. It grows in the humid lowlands and up to 2,000 m above sea level. At ECHO.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Andes, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Leeward Is., Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The flowers are used in soups and salads. Caution: The seeds are probably poisonous.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds and also by cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Mountain immortal, Pohon dadap popi, Poro, Trinidad kofimama

Synonyms

Erythrina amasisa Spruce; Erythrina darienensis Standl.; Erythrina micropteryx Peopp.; Erythrina umbrosa Bello;