The botanical name of coral bean is Erythrina
herbacea and the plant is low-maintenance specimen. You can easily grow the
coral bean plant in a natural garden or as part of a mixed shrub border. The
plant is colorful and attractive; it has showy spring, tubular blooms and pods
of attention-grabbing red seeds in autumn. The green pea-like pods turn
blackish purple with the seeds that are shiny and scarlet inside. You can also
grow the coral bean plants with other colorful plants as the shiny leaves may
become sparse during summer heat. The flowers of the plant are shaped like an
arrowhead and blooms appear profusely on numerus annual stems. The coral bean plants
are a magnet for hummingbirds. Continue reading to learn how to propagate coral
bean.
Coral Bean Plant Info
Coral bean is also called the
Cherokee bean; actually this family of plants grows in warm-season climates
around the world. In some areas that is without freezing temperatures, the
perennial remains or dies back to return in spring. You can grow Coral bean as
an annual in locations with freezing temperatures. If your winters are only
somewhat cold, just the top of the bush may die out. The Coral bean plant is
hardy in USDA zones eight to eleven. Collect the Coral bean seeds from the
autumn pods if you wish to grow it in a different area. It is actually recommended
to wear gloves, as the attractive red Coral bean seeds are poisonous.
Otherwise, the dropping Coral bean seeds will likely produce more plants the
following year. If you are collecting the coral bean seeds or working with the
plant, be very careful of occasional thorns too. And, of course, do not allow
children to touch the coral bean seeds. In fact, you may want to avoid it
altogether if you have small kids or pets around.
How to Propagate Coral Bean
If you want to plant, add coarse sand
or other amendment to the soil to make the soil well draining for the top two
to three inches. The coral bean plant is particularly sensitive to water on the
roots. If the soil is clay you can amend it before planting with coarse sand. If
you are planting several coral bean plants, allow three to five feet between
them. Dig a hole that is deep enough that the top of the plant’s soil is even
with the ground. Make sure you water the plants thoroughly after planting. Try
and water slowly so that it can penetrates the root system, also ensure that it
drains off quickly. The coral bean plant should not sit in water for an
extended period of time. You can continue to water the plant once a week during
the first season. The Coral bean plant care includes watering and fertilization
with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10). Add a two to three inch covering of
mulch to retain moisture and to also protect the sensitive root system from
cold. You will really enjoy the beautiful springtime blooms and the hordes of
hummingbirds which are commonly drawn to the coral bean plant.
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