Understory Bloom ID

[rip18]

This plant started blooming towards the end of turkey season & is blooming now. The flowers are typically between knee-high and chest high. It has pods in the fall that split open to reveal bright red seeds. It likes somewhat sandy soil in southern Georgia & is often found near rivers & on sandhills, doing best in areas that get some prescribed fire now & then.

Anybody want to name it?

[Jim Ammons]

Cardinal Spear??

[rip18]

You got it, Jim! We've got a really knowledgeable crew here at Woodys! I am impressed.

This is cardinal spear or coral bean (Erythrina herbacea). Hummingbirds really like it, but I've never had the patience to sit by one of these flowers while it is good light to wait for a hummingbird to come visit.

Coral bean is a legume. The top "dies" each year when the first heavy frost rolls in, but the seeds remain bright-colored until they finally fall from their pod (which could take a until March or April of the following year). The plant has a big taproot (about the size of a adult's arm) where it stores most of its carbohydrate reserves. This is probably an adaptation to the historic frequent fires that occurred in the coastal plain.