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Fabaceae FAMILY

Erythrina latissima

Erythrina latissima

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

All Erythrina species contain greater or lesser amounts of toxic alkaloids - these can be found in all parts of the plant but are usually most concentrated in the seeds. Concentrations vary from species to species, in some it is low enough that the plant is safely used as a food. In many, the alkaloids are utilized for their medicinal effects. We have no specific information on the concentration of the alkaloids in this species, but care should be exercised in any use of the plant that involves ingestion. These alkaloids have a curare-like action (obtained from Strychnos species) and can cause paralysis and even death by respiratory failure[1, PFAF].

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthSlow

Erythrina latissima is not very cold-tolerant - it will withstand light frosts but will grow faster in frost-free areas[2]. Erythrina species are generally tolerant of a range of soils, often tolerating poor fertility, but generally grow best in a sunny position in a moderately fertile, well-drained soil[3]. A fairly slow growing tree, taking 20 to 30 years to form a reasonable canopy and then living for more than a hundred years. Older trees however, do have a tendency to fall over[2]. In large gardens, a single plant or a small group creates a spectacular accent point which is of interest throughout the year. Take care not to plant the trees near buildings or paving as the root system is very invasive and will create problems[2]. Similar to some forms of Erythrina abyssinica but distinguished by its larger flowers, larger seeds and more prickly leaves[4]. All species in this genus are believed to be self-compatible. Their flowers are adapted to pollination by birds, though various insects can also cause fertilization. The various species of Erythrina can all, as far as is known, be intercrossed to produce fertile hybrids. Those species most closely related to each other cross fairly readily, but even species that are quite distant can hybridize[5, 6]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[7].

Propagation

Seed - It is best to soak the seed in hot water overnight to soften the hard seed coat in preparation for sowing. The soaked seeds are then placed in seed trays containing sharp river sand or composted bark. Cover the seed with a layer of whatever medium is used, and water. Germination should begin in 5-8 weeks. When the seedlings have made a swollen base, they can be transplanted into pots or plastic bags. Under ideal conditions, once established, the young plants should put on between 200-600 mm growth per year[2] Erythrina latissima is easily grown from large truncheons or seed. Truncheons are made from branches which are more than two years old and should not be thinner than 100 mm. It seems that the bigger the truncheon, the easier it roots. The trimmed branches are left to dry for 2 or 3 days before planting them in the ground. A layer of river sand in the base of the hole will enhance rooting. The truncheons must not be over-watered and should root in 2-3 months[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Erythrina+latissima>

Pollinators

Birds, Insects

References

  1. [1]The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation — Allen O.N.; Allen E.K. · University of Wisconsin · 1981 · ISBN 0-333-32221-5 ↩︎An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
  2. [2]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]Flora Zambesiaca — http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html ↩︎An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
  5. [5]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
  6. [6]Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Vol 75 — Missouri Botanical Garden: Boston. · 1988 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Contains, amongst other things, an article on the flora of Tanzania, a treatment of the genus Xyris and one for the Panamanian Boraginaceae. It can be downloaded from the internet.
  7. [7]Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy — United States Department of Agriculture · http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en ↩︎An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
  8. [8]African Flowering Plants Database — Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. · http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php ↩︎Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
  9. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎