Erythrina (variegata)
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Kim Wilkinson Craig Elevitch Permanent Agriculture Resources P.O. Box 428 Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 808-324-4427 808-324-4129 (fax) par@agroforestry.net www.agroforestry.net |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Fabaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Legume | ||
| Scientific Name: | Erythrina variegata L. `Tropic Coral' or `Tall Erythrina' | ||
| Common Name: | tropical coral, Indian coral tree, India coralbean, coral tree, tiger's claw, dadap, wiliwili; drala dina (Fiji); ngatae; gatae (Tonga, Samoa); 'atae (Cooks; Societies); natae (Marquesas); wiliwili-haole (Hawaii) | ||
| Ecotype: | humid and semiarid tropics and subtropics, 0 to 1500 m elevation | ||
| General Distribution: | Native to India and Malaysia, widely distributed in coastal areas of Southeast Asia, northern Australia, possibly an aboriginal introduction to areas of Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. Also introduced to the New World, in use as an ornamental in Florida and other areas of tropical America. | ||
| Known Invasiveness: | This species is widely introduced throughout other tropical regions of the world where it may be invasive in some areas and invasiveness outside its naturally occurring range is unknown. | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | vegetative | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Target Specifications: | It takes 3-4 weeks for cuttings to produce axillary shoots. In good conditions, cuttings are well-established after about 4 months in the ground. <p> | ||
| Propagule Collection: | This species is most commonly propagated for live fences, windbreaks, and establishment in areas where livestock are present (who eat shoots from low-growing cuttings). Large-size branch cuttings are used, usually around 5-15 cm diameter and 1.5-2.5 m long. Smaller cuttings may be used, a minimum of 30 cm in length and a diameter of 4-5 cm. However, larger cuttings at least 1.5 m long will establish more quickly, survive better against competition from weeds, and be less susceptible to damage or destruction from grazing animals. It is best to retain the terminal bud of branch cuttings to ensure the trees will have straight, columnar form. However, in many cases growers cut one branch into several cuttings and therefore this is not always feasible. | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Cuttings can be taken any time of year, although the ideal time for deciduous trees like Erythrina variegata is when the new growth is appearing, usually at the onset of the rainy season. Growers traditionally favor taking cuttings with the waning moon and planting them in the ground with the waxing moon. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | Cuttings are stood upright in the shade in dry conditions for a minimum of 24 hours, and a maximum of 2 weeks. This standing time allows the cuttings to dry just a little and prevents rotting and fungi problems after outplanting. | ||
| Establishment Phase: | For larger stakes 2-2.5 m tall, the lower portion of the cutting is buried 20-40 cm deep. For smaller cuttings, generally about 20% of the cutting's length should be underground. Planters should make sure to plant cuttings correct side down! The planting holes may be sprinkled with VAM mycorrhizal fungi inoculant (a great aid to establishment and growth in P-deficient soils) and Rhizobia bacteria inoculant. Make sure the soil is firm around the base of the cutting. Soil should be moist during early establishment, but not overly wet. If soil is poorly drained, small incisions are sometimes made in the bark of the part of the cutting that will be underground in order to improve rooting. It takes about a month for axillary shoots to appear. | ||
| Length of Establishment Phase: | 1 month | ||
| Active Growth Phase: | Removing weeds from the base and root zone around cuttings is essential to establishment. A weed barrier mulch (such as a sheet of cardboard or other decomposing material) can make weed control around trees easy. If conditions are very dry, supplemental water may be supplied once or twice a week until cuttings are established (in about 4-6 months). Once established, very little maintenance is required. | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | If transporting cuttings, they should be kept in the shade, upright if possible. They should not be allowed to dry out, and should not be stored longer than 2 weeks. Protect cuttings from bruising during transport. | ||
| Other Comments: | Erythrinas in general were once considered "junk" trees by foresters. However, the many multiple uses and products of these species are now widely recognized. Erythrina variegata is valued for its use as livestock fodder, windbreak, live fence, shade for coffee, cacao, and other crops, organic matter production, ornamental value, and uses in traditional handicrafts and medicines. | ||
| References: |
Hegde, N.G. 1994. Erythrina variegata. NFT Highlights. NFTA, Paia, HI. Kass, D.L. 1994. Erythrina Species-Pantropical Multipurpose Tree Legumes. In: R.C. Gutteridge and H.M. Shelton, eds. Forage Tree Legumes in Tropical Agriculture. CAB International, Oxford, U.K. Thorpe, P., ed. 1999. Pacific Agroforestry: An Information Kit. Pacific Regional Agricultural Programme, Suva, Fiji. Westley, S.B. and M. Powell, eds. 1993. Erythrina in the New and Old Worlds. Nitrogen Fixing Tree Research Reports, NFTA, Paia, HI. |
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Citation:
Elevitch, Craig R.; Wilkinson, Kim M.. 2004. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Erythrina variegata L. plants Permanent Agriculture Resources Holualoa, Hawaii. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/03). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
