Sunshine coral tree
Erythrina arborescens

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A tree. The trunk and branches have prickles. The leaves have leaflets and the end leaflet is kidney shaped and 8-20 cm long. The base is heart shaped. The side leaflets are broadly heart shaped. The flowers are in the axils of the last leaf. There are 3 flowers in a cluster. The are red and hang down. The pod is curved and 12-19 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. It has a beak at the end. There are 5-10 seeds. They are white or brown and kidney shaped. They are 2 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mountain valleys and grassy slopes up to 2,100 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Kathit, Maga, Phaledo, Pohon dadap mentari, Theki kath

Synonyms

Corallodendron arborescens (Roxb.) Kuntze; Duchassaingia arborescens Walp.; Erythrina moori Tod.; Erythrina tienensis Wang & T. Tang;