Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
South America
Types
-
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
20
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
11-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Babaco
In German
Red Cardinal
Babaco
In French
Cardinal rouge
Babaco
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Babaco
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Babaco
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Babaco
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Babaco
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Brassicales
Family
Fabaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
101
1
27800
👆🏻