Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
210
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-116-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
10-6
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Oblanceolate to oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs, Needs Very high moisture
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Astringent, Styptic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used for woodware
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CYRILLA racemiflora
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Leatherwood, Ironwood, Myrtle
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Leatherwood
In German
Red Cardinal
Leather
In French
Cardinal rouge
Leatherwood
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Leatherwood
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Leatherwood
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Leatherwood
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Leatherwood
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Leatherwood
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Ericales
Family
Fabaceae
Cyrillaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Cyrilla
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
105
1
27800
👆🏻