In the days before mass marketing, big box retailing and internet sales, people had to create their own solutions to the wants and needs of daily life. The results were based on the materials at hand and were often imaginative, but sometimes bordering on the absurd.
If purchasing and bartering were not an option, then the plants and animals along with any geological resources were the material with which to work. Top on the list were food, clothing and shelter which were produced from the local resources.
Items shaped and used for secondary purposes reflected the inventive ability of the originator. Necessity being the mother of invention, they had to be effective because their production took time away from more important tasks.
The coral bean, botanically known as Erythrina herbacea, was one such plant available to early residents of panhandle Florida. Currently known for its attractive fire engine red bloom spikes, it was once considered useful in a variety of ways.
Its distinctive red bloom spikes identify this plant which has had many uses in past centuries and cultures. Today it is a common addition to landscapes using native plants.
There are about 30 members in coral bean’s genus. They are distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions.
Some are woody shrubs and others small trees. Even in times past, Erythrina’s member species were known for their showy blooms.
There are two members of this plant’s genus which have been introduced into the U.S. Both were imported for the horticulture trade and used in landscapes.
Coral beans found in the wild are usually located in the sandy soils of coastal woodlands and clearings. They tolerate full sun exposure and the filtered light under larger trees.
The blooms appear in late April to early May and can continue into July. The flowers frequently emerge before the new leaves appear.
This plant is deciduous, losing its leaves in late autumn. It is also moderately salt tolerant and is found close to the Gulf of Mexico.
The blooms produce pods which contain shiny red seeds with a black spot. The segmented pods dry to black late in the summer as the seeds mature.
Birds are not normally attracted to the seeds. At about 1/3 inch they are too large for most seed eating avian species to swallow hole, and they are toxic. The seeds are toxic to mammals, too.
The lethal compound in the seeds effects nerve transmissions to muscles which results in paralysis or death. Someone realized this and the seeds came to be used as rat poison.
The seeds, striking in appearance, have also been used by crafters to make jewelry and trinkets. The glossy exterior, the distinctive colors and the dense, stone-like consistency give it stability for repeated use.
There is indication the attractive seeds were traded in the pre-Columbian era, reaching as far as northern Arizona. It is not known if the trade value was based on the seed’s cosmetic appearance or the pest control potential.
Today the native coral bean is propagated for use in suburban landscapes, much like its imported cousins. The late spring to early summer blooms make it a popular choice with people who want distinctive red color in a native perennial.
Still, it is good to know the plant produces seeds which can be made into a necklace that can kill rats.
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