Erythrina x bidwillii

This very showy Coralbean is a hybrid between the Argentine E. crista-galli and our native E. herbacea. Perennial in zone 8 from large root stock. Large spikes of vivid red flowers in summer. Cut back plants after the frost kills the tops. Mound 10 inches of coarse sand over the stubs. Mulch over with pine straw. As weather warms, remove this covering to allow new shoots to emerge. Given rich soil and ample water, these plants will thrive during hot summers. Now becoming more widely available, this hybrid seemed to be unknown in the South when Woodlanders first obtained it from California.