Coral Bean   Erythrina herbacea    
Pea family — Fabaceae

Also known as:
Eastern Coral Bean, Colorín, Cherokee Bean, Mamou

Slides: (click for larger view)

The coral bean is a shrub, but it will die back to the ground in cold winters. It grows in sandy woods near the coast and inland in southeastern Texas. It is as conspicuous in fruit as in flower because of the persistent red seeds, and for this reason it is much cultivated--not entirely a good thing, because the seeds are poisonous. The odd but magnificent flowers are produced in the spring or early summer.

Dried Specimens: (click for larger view)

Flowering Months: April, May, June

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