Re: E crysta-galli


----- Original Message ----- From: "N Sterman" <TalkingPoints@PlantSoup.Com>

How close to a building is it safe to plant Erythrina crysta-galli?
Nan
I know nothing about the roots of this species, but the top in a mild climate (as I suppose you will have where you are) it will probably not die back to a rootstock each winter but slowly build up a permanent trunk at least to six feet high, maybe eventually even ten feet. If it does buld up in this way it can also branch quite widely at the top.

Whatever height it grows to, the main feature is the annual flowering branches which spread almost straight out from the top of the stem and can reach two feet in length. I have never encounterd one planted anywhere but in an open space, but I should guess for a young tree one would need to leave at the very least three and a half feet between the trunk and the house wall to accomodate the flowers, but if it eventually grew a branching top this much distance would I fear be nowhere like enough..You could I guess avoid this problem by simply cutting it down almost to the ground each winter, which I understand it tolerates well.

Hope this is the information you were looking for.

Moira
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