Coral Tree

Erythrina lysistemon

Also known as Common Coral Tree, Lucky Bean Tree, Weeping Coral Tree, umSinsi

At a glance

Family

Fabaceae (the pea and bean family)

Type

Deciduous flowering tree

Parts used

Bark and seeds carry the long traditional history, though neither is safe for home preparation

Size

Typically 20 to 40 feet tall, with a broad, umbrella-like crown and thorny young branches

Bloom

Dense spikes of brilliant scarlet, claw-shaped flowers appear on bare branches in late winter, before the leaves return

Habitat

Bushveld, woodland margins, and riverbanks across southern and eastern Africa

Acquisition

Grow or buy

This plant in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Vivid, nectar-rich blossoms

Draws sunbirds and bees

Fast, living fencing

Deep roots in African tradition

Traditional uses

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Long before it was planted as an ornamental street tree, the coral tree held a sacred place in southern African life. Zulu tradition calls it umSinsi and often planted it near homesteads and graves, its blaze of red flowers on bare winter branches read as a sign that the ancestors were near. Healers in the region turned to the bark for a range of complaints, from wounds to toothache and joint pain, and the hard scarlet seeds, known as lucky beans, were strung into jewelry and carried as charms for protection and good fortune. That rich history sits alongside a real caution: the tree's alkaloids mean its traditional bark and seed preparations were the province of trained healers, not something to recreate at home.

How to grow & use it

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Traditional remedies and step-by-step preparations, a complete growing guide, and how to harvest, dry, and store it, all unlocked with HerbLens Unlimited.

✦Remedies & preparations
✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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Choose it when

“When the coral tree's bare gray branches suddenly erupt in flame red bloom, it is the surest sign that the African winter is bending toward spring.”

Did you know?

The coral tree's seeds are so hard and glossy that they can pass whole through a bird's digestive tract without breaking down, which is part of how the species spread across the African bushveld long before people began stringing the same scarlet seeds into good luck necklaces.

Safety

Erythrina lysistemon is not a plant to ingest at home. Its bright scarlet seeds and its bark contain erythrina alkaloids with curare-like, neuromuscular-blocking action, and chewing or swallowing broken seeds or bark preparations has caused serious poisoning, including muscle weakness and breathing difficulty, in both people and livestock. The whole, uncracked seed used in jewelry is generally considered low risk from casual handling, but it should still be kept away from small children and pets who might bite or crack it open, and any traditional bark or seed preparation belongs strictly in the hands of experienced healers, never attempted from a home kitchen. If ingestion of any part of this tree is suspected, treat it as a medical emergency and seek immediate care from a qualified health professional or poison control service.