Erythrina x bidwillii

In the early 1840s at Australia's Camden Park, under the watchful eye of William Macarthur, our US coral bean, Erythrina herbacea, had some unsafe sex with the South American Erythrina crista-galli...back when international treaties still allowed such debauchery. What they were doing there together is still an untold story, but what resulted is one helluva offspring. Erythrina x bidwillii emerges from the ground in late spring to form a 6' tall x 8' wide mound of arching stalks adorned with giant, pea-like foliage. From June until frost, the 6' long stalks are topped with 20" long terminal spires of bright red, lipstick-like, hummingbird-preferred flowers...so incredible it's hard to describe. It makes an AWESOME specimen that likes it hot and sunny!