Edible: Seeds, Leaves, Vegetable, Pods, Flowers
A deciduous tree. It grows up to 15-20 m tall and loses its leaves for part of the year. The trunk has blunt spines. The branches are spreading, crooked and armed with sharp black prickles. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are broadly oval and 8 to 18 cm long. They are shiny green on top and dull flat green underneath. The flowers appear before the leaves. The flowers are at the ends of branches and are hairy and dense. The flowers are large numerous and hang down. They are red. The pod is about 10 to 25 cm long and 1.5 to 2 cm across. The pod is constricted between the beans. Seeds are dark red.
A tropical plant. It is native from India to the Philippines and the Pacific. It mostly grows naturally along the dunes very close to the coast but is transplanted as an ornamental. It will grow up to 900 m altitude. It has been recorded up to 2,200 m above sea level in PNG. It is tolerant to salt. It can tolerate drought. It needs full sun. It can grow in a wide range of soils and soil pH values from 4.5-8.0. It is a nitrogen fixing tree so can grow on poor soils. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Indian coral tree, Coral Tree, 'atae, Badisa, Badita, Bangaro, Baridamu, Belendoong, Berebedhi, Butsu daavi, Chengkering, Citong, Dadap aykam, Dadap belang, Dadap blendung, Dap-dap, Dedap, Drala, Erabadu, Faiy-kurehi, Far-tuah, Galala itam, Gatae, Gate, Harivana, In-kathit, Kalayana-murikku, Kaliyanamurukku, Kathit-phyu, Mandar, Mandara, Mandaram, Milimbit, Modugu, Nara, Natae, Netae, Ngatae, Paar, Palita mandar, Palita, Panaraweo, Panervo, Panga, Pangara, Pangra, Parepein, Parijata, Pinle-kathit, Raar, Tawng lang, Tawng puak, Thethek, Thong-laang-laai, Thorny Tong, Tiger's claw, Varjipe, Vong nem, Waigunda, Weeku, Wiliwili hole
Synonyms:
Chirocalyx candolleanus Walp.;
and others
Corallodendron divaricatum (Moc. & Sesse) Kuntze;
Corallodendron orientale (L.) Kuntze;
Erythrina corallodendon var. orientalis L.;
Erythrina indica Lam.;
Erythrina indica var. orientalis (L.) Miller;
Erythrina lithosperma Bl. ex Miq.;
Erythrina orientalis (L.) Merrill;
Erythrina parcellii hort.;
Tetradapa javanorum Osbeck;
and others