Common Name:

General Information

Erythrina lysistemon is a prickly, deciduous tree with a spreading crown; it usually grows from 2 - 12 metres tall, occasionally reaching 20 metres. The plant usually forms branches low down on the trunk[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It is often used as a hedge and barrier planting and is commonly grown as an ornamental and planted as a street tree in many parts of the world, being valued especialy for its floral display, which is produced just before the leaves appear[, ].

Known 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[, ].

Botanical References

Range

Eastern Africa - Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, eastern S. Africa

Habitat

Dry habitats with scrub and wooded grassland; deciduous woodlands; bushland; also coastal sand dunes; at elevations up to 1,950 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Birds, Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Erythrina lysistemon is not very cold tolerant, growing best in frost free gardens. It will, however, survive in regions where winter temperatures fall occasionally (and for short periods) down to -7°c, provided it is planted in a sheltered position, and protected from frost when young. It prefers dry winters, but can thrive in moist winters as long as it is planted in well-drained soil[].
Erythrina species are 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[]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant, but plants grow better in moist soils[].
Erythrina lysistemon is often confused with Erythrina caffra, the coast coral tree. In most respects they are very similar, and were in fact regarded as the same variable species for many years and, when not in flower, are difficult to tell apart[].
The various species of Erythrina can all, as far as is known, be intercrossed to produce fertile hybrids[].
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[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Women about to give birth are given an infusion of herbs to make the birth easier, and a sliver of bark from the four sides of this plant is tied around the bundle of herbs before it is boiled[]. Water in which bark has been soaked is mixed with the root of a species of Cussonia and used as a purifying emetic[].

The bark is applied as a poultice to treat sores, wounds, abscesses and arthritis[].

Infusions of the leaves are used as ear drops to relieve earache[]. Crushed leaves placed on a maggot-infested wound are said to clear the maggots[].

A decoction of the roots is applied to sprains[].

Erythrina lysistemon does contain a large number of alkaloids that are known to be highly toxic, but its use in traditional medicine suggests that they have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects[].
The seeds contain toxic alkaloids as well as anti-blood-clotting substances that may be of value in the treatment of thromboses[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is used to form living fences around kraals, homesteads and waterhole[].
Most Erythrina species are very easy to grow from cuttings, with even quite large branches striking well. In addition, they generally fix atmospheric nitrogen, have nutrient-rich leaves that make an excellent soil-enriching mulch, often have open crowns that do not overly restrict light, and are also often quite thorny and can provide impenetrable barriers to protect from unwelcome intrusions. Many species are therefore used as living fences to provide boundaries and livestock-proof hedges[, ].
The flowering of the trees has been, and still is, a good signal to the people that it is time to plant their crops[].

Other Uses

The red seeds are used to make necklaces[].

The wood is light and cork-like when dry and has been used for making canoes, rafts and floats for fishing nets as well as for troughs and brake-blocks. It has also been used to make shingles for roofing, as the wood is durable when tarred[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in spring and early summer, in a well-drained, general-purpose potting soil, placed in a warm but shaded spot and kept moist. Soaking the seed overnight in warm (not hot) water is not necessary for germination to occur, but should hurry things along. Dusting the seed prior to sowing, or drenching after sowing, with a fungicide that combats pre-emergence damping off, although not essential, will increase the percentage germination[].
Cuttings are best taken in spring to summer[].
Large cuttings (truncheons) are taken in late winter to spring. Truncheons are made from part of or even an entire branch which is left to dry and heal for a few days, then planted into a pot filled with sand or even directly into the soil where the plant is to be grown, and kept damp but not wet[].
If a plant has to be transplanted, this is best done whilst it is dormant, during winter[]