Late This Year

Not sure why, but coralbean (Erythrina herbacea) bloomed late this year in many places. Perhaps, the cooler temperatures this winter are why. Sometimes, coralbean blooms peak much earlier in the winter.

Take a ride now – the beginning of April – on Highway A1A in the vicinity of Sebastian Inlet State Park, and you will see lots of coralbean flowers rising up from the saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and other vegetation.

Its striking scarlet spikes attract hummingbirds and long-tongued butterflies and can be quite abundant.

Often but not always, coralbean drops all of its leaves when blooming. Its leaflet are held in 3’s, like many plants in the pea family, Fabaceae.

When including coralbean in your landscape, recognize that this plant is quite thorny and may (or may not) drop its leaves during flowering. Its scarlet flowers contrast wonderfully with silver blue saw palmetto.