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cockspur coral tree

Erythrina crista-galli

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Erythrina

cry-baby tree

Secondary I Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🪓 Coppices after cutting
Pablo Bombín · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

A deciduous, sun-loving leguminous small tree or tree up to 10-15 m, native to southern Brazil and the rest of southern South America. It inhabits very wet sites, riparian forest and floodable lowlands; its trunk is covered with a thick corky bark (hence 'corticeira'). It fixes nitrogen, is highly ornamental for its coral-red flowers, and is useful in restoring degraded wetland areas.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, High
Biomass class
Fertilizer biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Soil pH range
6–7
Preferred soil texture
Clayey, Loamy, Silty
Hardiness zones
8–10
Frost tolerance
-8.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
6–15 m
Recommended spacing
1–3 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Shallow
Growth rate
Fast
Time to first harvest
12 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Cockspur coral tree takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈15 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Tolerates waterlogged soils and cold climate (the national flower of Argentina and Uruguay); propagated by seed and cuttings. Twisted branches with curved spines. Ideal for marsh and stream margins.

✂️ Management & Pruning

A deciduous fixer that resprouts vigorously from the base/rootstock after cutting or frost dieback (new leaves within ~2 weeks), tolerating hard coppicing. Technique follows the genus's shade Erythrinas: pollard 1–2× per year, lopping to 2–3 m, to release light to crops — high green-manure/mulch output. Cut twice a year for tender foliage (green manure) and once a year (dry season) for woody biomass. Prune best in late winter / early spring (its natural regrowth window) or at the onset of the rainy season in biomass systems.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of cockspur coral tree?

The first harvest of cockspur coral tree comes around 12 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for cockspur coral tree?

The recommended spacing for cockspur coral tree is 1–3 m.

How tall does cockspur coral tree grow?

At maturity, cockspur coral tree reaches 6–15 m tall.

When does cockspur coral tree fruit?

Fruiting of cockspur coral tree occurs in January, February, March, April.

When does cockspur coral tree flower?

Flowering of cockspur coral tree occurs in September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does cockspur coral tree occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, cockspur coral tree belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Does cockspur coral tree fix nitrogen?

Yes — cockspur coral tree is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🌿 Biomass producer 🪴 Nurse plant Ornamental 🐝 Attracts pollinators Living fence Medicinal

Propagation

Seed, Cutting

Citations

  1. Flora Digital UFSC — Erythrina crista-galli (height_min_m, height_max_m, biomes, waterlogging_tolerance, light_need, gotsch_stage)
  2. Wikipedia (pt): Corticeira (common_names, frost_tolerance_c, propagation, functions)
  3. PFAF Plant Database — Erythrina crista-galli (frost_tolerance_c, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max)
  4. Useful Tropical Plants (temperate) — Erythrina crista-galli (frost_tolerance_c, pruning_notes, time_to_first_harvest_months)
  5. Sítio da Mata — Corticeira (Erythrina crista-galli) (ph_min, ph_max, phenology)
  6. PROSEA — Erythrina poeppigiana (genus management analog) (pruning_notes, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m)
  7. World Agroforestry (ICRAF) — Erythrina caffra (genus management analog) (pruning_notes, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, time_to_first_harvest_months)

External references

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