Coral Tree / Lucky Bean Tree

Erythrina lysistemon is a deciduous leguminous (pea family, Fabaceae) tree, indigenous to Southern Africa.

It bears clusters of scarlet pod-shaped flowers in late winter / early spring before leaf buds appear. The flowers yield abundant nectar, making it an important bee forage plant that is equally attractive to nectivorous birds, bats and other insects.

Its seeds are also bright scarlet with a black dot. They are known almost universally by children as "lucky beans".

One of its Afrikaans names (kanniedood -- cannot die) recognises its hardiness and drought-tolerance. The other, koraalboom is simply a translation of the English coral tree.

Other names include umsintsi (isiXhosa), muvhale (Tshivenda), mophete (SeTswana), mokhungwane (Sesotho) and mutiti (Shona).