Erythrina variegata

Tiger's Claw, Sunshine Tree, Indian Coral Tree, Variegated Coral Tree

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

A resplendent sun rises above the horizon. It is your Lord that comes to you.

The whole world awakes and stretches in delight at the contact of His glory.

As the earth that heaves and opens, as the tree that grows, as the flower that blossoms, as the bird that sings, as the man that loves, let His light permeate you and radiate in an ever-increasing and widening happiness, a happiness steadily moving onward as the stars move in heaven.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - III: Soar High

In Matter shall be lit the spirit’s glow,
In body and body kindled the sacred birth; Night shall awake to the anthem of the stars, The days become a happy pilgrim march, Our will a force of the Eternal’s power, And thought the rays of a spiritual sun.

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - I: The Secret Knowledge

The Spirit shall look out through Matter’s gaze And Matter shall reveal the Spirit’s face.

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - II: The Eternal Day: The Soul's Choice and the Supreme Consummation

Colour

Bright red, occasionally white (in the 'Alba' cultivar).

Varieties

Message of the Flower

Beginning of Realisation in Matter

The Mother’s Comment

Matter responds to the Divine influence.

Colour

Orange red to dark red

Family

Fabaceae

Cultivars

'Alba' (with white flowers)

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus.

Flower Size

Each flower can be up to 5 cm long.

Flower Texture

Waxy

Number of Petals

Five, with a distinctive standard, wings, and keel arrangement.

Floral Symmetry

Bilaterally symmetrical.

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant.

Leaf Texture

Smooth, with some cultivars having variegated leaves.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate, typically trifoliate (three leaflets).

Leaf Color

Green, with variegated forms having patches or margins of white or yellow.

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Medium to large tree.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Late winter to early spring, before the new leaves emerge.

Climate

Tropical and subtropical.

Water Requirements

Moderate; drought-tolerant once established.

Soil Type

Prefers well-drained soil; tolerant of a variety of soil types.

Temperature Ranges

Warm climates; not frost-tolerant.

Sun or Shade

Full sun for best flowering.

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to borers and leaf spot diseases.

Pollinators

Attracts bees, birds, and butterflies.

Habitat

Native to the coastal forests of eastern Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides habitat and food for wildlife; used in agroforestry and as a living fence.

Ornamental

Widely planted for its decorative flowers and foliage.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Agroforestry, erosion control, ornamental landscaping.

Endangered Status

Not listed as globally endangered but may be threatened in specific locales due to habitat loss.

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