Scientific Name
Erythrina herbacea
Common Name
Cardinal-spear, Cherokee-bean, coral bean

CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN.

Characteristics

Family
Fabaceae
Plant Description
Perennial herb with prickly branchlets; leaves alternate, pinnately divided with 3 leaflets, each 3-lobed to widely delta-shaped; flowers in an elongated terminal cluster, somewhat tube-shaped and scarlet; fruit an elongated pod constricted between the scarlet seeds.
Origin
Mexico and southern USA.
Distribution
Coastal Plain.
Where Found
Forest or natural area in open sandy woods and clearings; weedy in disturbed areas along roadsides, naturalized; landscape as cultivated herbaceous flowering shrub.
Mode
Ingestion.
Poisonous Part
All parts, mainly seeds.
Symptoms
Diarrhea and vomiting.
Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: Young leaves and flowers may be cooked and safely eaten.
Toxic Principle
Alkaloids and cyanogenic glycoside.
Severity
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN.

"Poisonous Plants of North Carolina," Dr. Alice B. Russell, Department of Horticultural Science; Dr. James W. Hardin, Botany; Dr. Larry Grand, Plant Pathology; and Dr. Angela Fraser, Family and Consumer Sciences; North Carolina State University. All Pictures Copyright @1997Alice B. Russell, James W. Hardin, Larry Grand. Computer programming, Miguel A. Buendia; graphics, Brad Capel.

Disclaimer: The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. In cases of accidental exposure or ingestion, contact the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

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