Ethiopian coral tree (korch)
Erythrina brucei
A nitrogen-fixing shade and fence tree with scarlet flowers in the dry season, planted to shade coffee.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 30 ft tall, 20 ft wide
From: Ethiopian highlands
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: fixing nitrogen in the soil, pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: African savannas & tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Korch, the Ethiopian coral tree, is planted along field edges and in coffee gardens across the highlands as a living fence and a shade tree. Like other legumes it feeds the soil, and its scarlet flowers arrive in the dry season when little else blooms.
Planting
Sun, any drained soil. It grows easily from big cuttings pushed into the ground at the start of the rains, which is how most living fences are made.
Growing
Pollard or lop it every year or two; the prunings make mulch and fodder and the tree regrows. It fixes nitrogen, so the crops under and beside it do better.
Harvest and use
Grown for shade, fences, mulch and nectar rather than food. Sunbirds and bees work the flowers.
What to watch for
The seeds are poisonous; keep them away from children and livestock.
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More helper plants for soil, wildlife and biomass
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home