Erythrina x bidwillii

Few plants rival the beauty of this Coral Bean, with its huge inflorescenses of dramatic deep red. The amazingly long 24″ terminal racemes are packed with flowers 2″ in length. I think a great deal of gardeners would be growing it if they only knew it existed. A hybrid usually listed hardy to zone 8, it has survived every winter in our zone 6b garden since I planted it in 2000. Its shrubby branches die back to the ground each winter, but with each new spring come new sprouts from the root which are later topped with those incredible flowers. Hummingbirds are continually drawn to the blossoms of this striking legume.