Erythrina crista-galli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Erythrina crista-galli |
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| Flowers | |
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| Genus: |
Erythrina
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| Species: |
crista-galli
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Many, see text |
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The cockspur coral tree, also known as Erythrina crista-galli, is a beautiful flowering tree. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, which includes many types of beans and peas. This tree is originally from parts of South America, like Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and Paraguay. People also plant it a lot in other countries, such as California, because of its pretty flowers.
In South America, it has many common names. Some of these are ceibo (in Spanish) and corticeira (in Portuguese). Its scientific name, crista-galli, is Latin for "cock's comb", which describes the shape of its flowers.
The ceibo tree is very special in Argentina, where it is the national tree. Its flower is also the national flower for both Argentina and Uruguay. Even a star in space, HD 63454, is officially named Ceibo!
You can often find this tree growing naturally near rivers and in wet areas like swamps. In cities, it's a popular choice for parks because of its bright red flowers.
Contents
What the Cockspur Coral Tree Looks Like
The cockspur coral tree is usually a small tree. Its trunk can be about 50 cm (20 in) around. Most of these trees grow to be about 5–8 m (16–26 ft) tall. However, some can grow even taller, up to 10 m (33 ft), especially in certain areas of Argentina.
The tree has a main root that grows straight down, called a taproot. This root has special bumps called nodules. Inside these nodules live tiny bacteria that help the tree. These bacteria are like helpers because they can take nitrogen from the air and turn it into something the tree can use to grow. In return, the tree gives the bacteria food. The tree's trunk is strong and woody, with branches that can be a bit spiky. These branches often die back after the tree has finished flowering.
Flowers and Fruit of the Tree
The cockspur coral tree blooms in the summer. In South America, this is from October to April. In the northern parts of the world, it flowers from April to October. The flowers are bright red and grow in clusters. Each flower has five petals and is shaped a bit like a butterfly, similar to common beans. The largest petal is at the bottom. Two tiny petals are almost hidden, and two other petals sometimes join together to form a "keel" that protects the flower's inner parts.
These flowers are full of sweet nectar. This nectar attracts insects, which crawl inside the flower to get it. As they do, they help the tree by moving pollen from one flower to another, which is how the tree makes seeds. This process is called pollination.
After the flowers, the tree grows a legume, which is a dry pod. These pods are a few centimeters long and contain about 8 to 10 seeds. The seeds look like small, chestnut-brown beans. When a seed sprouts, its first leaves stay underground.
Growing the Cockspur Coral Tree
People enjoy growing the cockspur coral tree in gardens and parks. In the United Kingdom, this plant has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. This award means it's a great plant for gardens.
Images for kids
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Flowers
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Flowers
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Seeds
See also
In Spanish: Ceibo para niños
