Coral Tree

The Coral Tree (Erythrina variegata, still widely sold as Erythrina indica) is a big, fast, generous shade tree for a block with room to spare. It reaches around 10m tall and 8m across, and it is deciduous, so the scarlet flower spikes open on bare branches with nothing to hide them.

Why you'll love it

• Scarlet flowers on bare wood. The display sits on a leafless frame, which is why a coral tree in flower stops traffic.
• Shade quickly. It is a fast grower, so an 8m canopy arrives in years rather than decades.
• Coast and wind are not a problem. Salt tolerant and wind tolerant, which is why it turns up on exposed headland blocks.
• Birds arrive. The flowers carry heavy nectar and are worked hard by honeyeaters, lorikeets and other nectar feeders.

Where it works best

Shade tree on a large block. Give it at least 8m of clear width, well back from the house, paving and service lines.

Coastal gardens. Salt laden wind is what it is built for, and few trees this size hold a canopy so well near the sea.

Windbreak. Set trees 6m to 8m apart in a staggered row to filter wind across a paddock or a rural boundary rather than block it dead.

Growing the coral tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. This is a tree for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cold inland and cool southern gardens are out.

Soil. Undemanding provided the site drains. Sandy coastal soils suit it well. It is a legume, so it fixes its own nitrogen and needs far less feeding than a tree this size suggests.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then it is genuinely drought tolerant. A light dressing of complete fertiliser in early spring is plenty; heavy nitrogen only softens the wood further.

Pruning. This matters more than with most trees. Shorten long horizontal branches while they are still manageable and take out any narrow forked union. Prune in late winter before the flower buds move.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two advanced sizes, 90L and 200L, both grown to a formed trunk with branching already begun. At this scale you are buying presence rather than a whip, and the 200L gives canopy inside two or three seasons.

Being deciduous, a tree delivered in the cooler months may be bare, which is dormancy rather than a problem. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read about the best canopy trees for shade.
• Browse other coastal and salt tolerant plants.
• Compare our fast growing shade trees.
• See what else suits a windbreak planting.

Common questions

How much room does it really need?

Plan on 8m of clear width and a similar distance from buildings, paving and pipes. The roots are vigorous, and this is not a tree for a standard suburban courtyard or a narrow verge.

Is it safe around pets and children?

The seeds are toxic if eaten, so it is worth knowing before you plant one where small children play. The rest of the tree is not a hazard.

Does it drop branches?

It can. The timber is brittle by nature, and long unsupported limbs are the ones that fail in storms. Regular formative pruning while the tree is young largely solves it, but do not plant one directly over a driveway or a roof.

Will it grow in a cool southern garden?

No. It is frost tender, and a hard frost will cut back or kill a young tree outright. Stick to tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, including frost free coastal strips further south.