Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
230
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Lowland evergreen rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-114-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Upright/Erect
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Yellow, Red, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Brown
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
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Ovate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
-
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Insects
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
ALNUS rubra
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
red alder
In German
Red Cardinal
rot-Erle
In French
Cardinal rouge
aulne rouge
In Spanish
Cárdenas
aliso rojo
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
amieiro vermelho
In Polish
Red Cardinal
czerwony olcha
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
red alnus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Fagales
Family
Fabaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Alnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
1035
1
27800
👆🏻