Buy Erythrina zeyheri

Erythrina zeyheri is the oddball of the family preferring to do most of its growing underground in the form of a large woody stem. It's a true surviver, using its big root system to regenerate from Veld Fires and going dormant during the cold months to avoid the frosts. It pops out in the spring with fat green leaves that are (slightly) armed with little spines. The familiar red flowers seen on other Erythina emerge in the summer months with a nice display.

My, oh my. Beautiful, regal & FIERCE! Well armed with thorns & prickles & with a huge underground rootstock that goes down a meter or more, this deciduous South African shrub hunkers back to the fortress of its enormous (plough breaking) roots every Winter, emerging with big, lush, evil looking leaves again in the Spring. Mid-Summer brings a long succession of red or coral orange spikes of blooms. Resist the urge to water too much – this species has plenty of water storage all on its own & doesn’t need much of your help. Grows 3’ tall & a little less wide. Okay in a pot for a little while, but the plant will likely let you know it wants a larger space by breaking the container if you give it a space that’s too small. If you plant it in the ground, don’t expect to be moving it... ever.