Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

Erythrina poeppigiana is a large deciduous tree, growing 25 to 35 m tall. The bark is greenish brown to gray brown, smooth or with thorns. The leaves are trifoliate, 20–30 cm long with pubescent petioles. The leaflets have a pair of large glands, shaped like a cup, near the base of the lateral ones. The red or orange flowers are produces in long racems and the upper petal is wide and open. Flowers bloom during the dry season in February and March, before the tree produces leaves. The fruits are twisted pods 10 to 25 cm long. The seeds are orange-brown, about 2 cm long and slightly curved.
(Duke, James A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops.)
(Pekka Nygren. 1996. Erythrina poeppigiana Fact Sheet.)
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

The bark, seeds, and roots is said to have medicinal properties because they contain alkaloids.
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

Erythrina poeppigiana is a very important tree in the agro-forestry systems because it grows very quickly and produces a great amount of biomass (foliage), which makes it an excellent shade tree for coffee and cacao plantings. Also, because the roots develop abundant nodules with nitrogen fixing bacteria, the soil is naturally enriched in nitrogen, so it is used in soil conservation and recovery programs. The species is also used as posts in hedges, wind breaking curtains, props for vegetables, and forage.
(Duke, James A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops.)
(Pekka Nygren. 1996. Erythrina poeppigiana Fact Sheet.)
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

Erythrina poeppigiana is a species with multiple uses. The light wood is used in crafting toys, decorative objects, kitchen utensils, chairs and many other tools. The seeds are used in making necklaces and ornaments.
Macerated roots and other parts of the tree are used to stun fish to make it easier to be caught.
With its attractive orange-red f lowers, the tree is planted as an ornamental.
(Duke, James A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops.)
(Pekka Nygren. 1996. Erythrina poeppigiana Fact Sheet.)
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

(Information for this species compiled and recorded by Camelia Cirnaru, NTBG Consultant.)

Erythrina poeppigiana is native to Tropical America, Panama, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Africa, and Asia. It is cultivated in Florida, Central America and the Caribbean region.
(Duke, James A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops.)
(Pekka Nygren. 1996. Erythrina poeppigiana Fact Sheet.)
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

Flowers are eaten in salads and soups as a condiment.
(Little, E.L., Jr., and Wadsworth, F.H. 1964. Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.)

We currently have 4 herbarium specimens for Erythrina poeppigiana in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 031584 - collected by Thomas B. Croat in 1973
• 007811 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1987
• 050647 - collected by Tim Flynn in 2009
• 093765 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2024