Cry Baby, Cockspur, Fireman's Cap Tree, Brazillian Coral Tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
A deciduous shrub or tree with a unique habit all its own, the Cockspur Coral Tree can become a many-stemmed, rough-barked tree up to 25 feet tall with weeping branches and flower stalks. Its woody trunk and branches are very slow to develop. In colder areas, it will die to the ground and grow back each spring with fleshy new growth forming a mounding, drooping shrub. The flowers, first appearing in spring at the ends of the branches, are long velvety stalks of bird-like flowers, salmon pink to wine red in color. It can bloom up to three times during the growing season. Cut back dead flower stalks and stems to encourage more upright growth habit.
I took this picture a La Reserva Costanera in Buenos Aires on a bike ride in December 2003. The tree is common in that area of Argentina and Uruguay. I read that it is the national flower of both countries.
Brazilian Coral Tree flowers in a botanical garden in Bali, Indonesia, October 1990
fireman's cap blooms in Needville,Tx. (30 miles SW of Houston)
Los Angeles arboretum in June
june flowers and leaves
June flower, Los Angeles
Genus: Erythrina Crista Galli -Barcelona Spring 2003
Also known as 'Mamou plant' in Cajun Country of LA. Do 'Mamou Plant' search for info.
Firey orange/red blooms which form beans with up to three seeds. Seeds germinate easily.
pods in fall Los Angeles county
seeds in pod fall Los Angeles
seeds in hand- very hard, smooth and ornamental (and toxic)
Fireman's Cap tree cut to a bush
Fireman's cap seed pods
Fireman's Cap trunk
Taken outside Woolmarketing Marlborough Nelson Blenheim NZ
Taken outside Woolmarketing Marlborough Nelson Blenheim NZ
my own seedling grown from seed off plant here in Los Angeles
Mine is presently almost seven feet tall. It bloomed last year and I am hoping for blooms again this year.
Small tree. Moreno, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
great specimen growing in Disneyland, California, May
Beautiful specimen in Tokyo.
A small tree in Tangiers, Morocco. The poor thing was all mixed up with hedging shrubs and had only just "seen the light" when this picture was taken.
two year old seedling after flowering. survived a severe 20 degree freeze in Jan 07. z9b/10a CA
Same seedling. the trunk is already getting large and bulbous
our cockspur tree flowers in NSW Australia
New spring on our cockspur tree in NSW Australia
green seedpods. ready to harvest when totally brown
Blooming late June. zone 9b/sunset 9 CA
White flowered variety, E. crista-galli var. leucochlora
flowers on my own plant grown from seed collected in southern California just 7 years ago
Growing so happily in San Mateo, California.
At UC Botanical Gardens in Berkeley, CA.
At UC Botanical Gardens in Berkeley, CA.
At UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. Must have had frost damage for full of dead limbs.
University of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
University of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
University of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
University of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Erythrina crista-galli flowers
Erythrina crista-galli - Cockspur Coral Tree flower
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
flowers
flowers
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
Growing within 1km of Perth (Western Australia) CBD, 2010
Photo taken within 1km of Perth (Western Australia) CBD, 2010
Photo taken at Perth, Western Australia, 2010
Photo taken within 1km of Perth (Western Australia) CBD, 2010
my 8' tall tree grown from seed. This tree blooms about 10 months out of the year here in southern California. This is from late November
November seed pods southern California in my yard
On a country road north of Tauranga, New Zealand in late January
Showing the thick trunk and bark
The upper limbs, branches and leaves
The bean-like seed pods
The different stages of the coral coloured Cockspur flowers
Sofia, Bulgaria, 2300 feet AMSL, zone 6b (admittedly). End of winter.
another shot of seeds from my own plant (I grew from seed)
New Zealand. Photo courtesy of Karl Gercens. Copyright Karl Gercens. Conservatory Horticulturist at Longwood Gardens. http://www.karlgercens.com/
Photo courtesy of Ken Blackford. Copyright Ken Blackford. San Diego, Ca.
Photo courtesy of Ken Blackford. Copyright Ken Blackford. San Diego, Ca.
Grown from seed in Zwolle, the Netherlands in spring 2015.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. Photo courtesy of Mark Delepine. Copyright of Mark Delapine. Berkeley, California.
Copyright Efeftherios Dariotis (Liberto Dario), horticulturist and botanist from Athens, Greece.
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About
Cry Baby, Cockspur, Fireman's Cap Tree, Brazillian Coral Tree
Erythrina crista-galli
| Type: | Trees |
| Height: | 20-30 ft. (6-9 m) |
| Conditions: | Zone 9-11, Full Sun |
