Erythrina - Coral Tree - E.variegata - Indian Coral Tree

Erythrina is a genus that includes about 120 species of deciduous trees commonly known as Coral Tree. E.variegata, the Indian Coral Tree or Flame Tree has 2 varieties, Erythrina variegata var. variegata, a variegated form, and Erythrina variegata var. Indica, formerly known as Erythrina Indica when it was considered a separate species, the leaves of which are not variegated.

Widely grown in India, Madagascar and S.E. Asia, the Indian Coral tree has large stunningly beautiful scarlet flowers with backward facing petals. It is because of these amazing flowers that Erythrina got the name ‘Coral Tree’. Another common name for Erythrina variegata is the ‘Sunshine Tree’. The variegated form of the Indian Coral Tree has green/yellow variegated leaves which revert to green with age.

The Indian Coral Tree can grow up to 20m tall and the greyish trunk and branches have small black thorns. Frequently grown as an ornamental tree it is also grown as a shade tree and also used as a windbreak in the pacific. Erythrina variegata is known as ‘Thong laang daeng’ in Thailand.