I used to live in Santa Monica and work at Wilshire and the 405 and traveled along San Vincente Blvd to get to work (circa OJ/Nicole era, passed by Mezzaluna many times not knowing it was there). The length of San Vincente Blvd between Brentwood and the coast in Santa Monica has Coral trees planted in the center median. These are old, mature trees, been there for years. As Hoovb mentions, the trees do not fare well in high winds. Have seen several of these trees crack, split or have limbs come down in high winds. But agreed, they are spectacular while in bloom.

Most reference sources suggest that Erythrina crista-galli is better in zones 8 on up, but it probably can be overwintered if well mulched and given good drainage in winter. This species is South American, and is considered one of the hardiest large shrub/small tree species. Certainly summer heat will not phase this plant one bit, but it does like to grow along rivers and swamps in habitat, or it is best with summer water. Is not Erythrina herbacea native in the Carolinas? It is certainly fairly common in the Gulf Coast states. If E. x bidwillii is hardy enough to be grown as a die back perennial in your area, this is in my opinion the most beautiful flowered of all the Erythrinas, and also loves the heat. It flowers beautifully here in the San Francisco Bay Area by the time it finally heats up in late summer, but is much more abundant in bloom in hotter inland valleys or southern California, where it can become a small tree. I would guess that you probably won't have this plant get attacked by all the insects that destroy the flowers on Erythrina species in south Florida, as it doesn't sound like you have the critical mass of plants to attract the pest borers, beetles and caterpillars that can decimate them. We're lucky that way here in San Francisco as well, not enough of them in the landscape to keep the pests alive here year round. Some of the South African Erythrina species such as E. caffra and E. lysistemon are glorious down in southern California in mid winter bloom. We can also grow the Mexican E. coralloides here, which I also quite like, but it doesn't tend to bloom while deciduous or have the massively thick trunks of some of the South African species. Cool plants, and they all love hot summers, without any doubts.

I had a few Erythrina bidwilli when I lived in AZ. I love this plant and they are excellent hummingbird attractors. I am pretty sure they are only hardy to zone 9 though (25 degrees). If we are talking about the same plant...this some hardiness info from a very reputable nursery in AZ that I had much luck with run by an old professor of horiticultre at U of A: http://www.aridzonetrees.com/AZT%20Interactive%20Buttons/Tree%20Index/Cut%20sheets/Erythrina/Erythrina%20bidwillii.htm They do freeze back but they flower on last year's wood so if they freeze too hard and don't have any stem tissue left they won't bloom (i.e. their roots are probably hardy here but you won't get any flowers). Also to get the cool (but poisionus) beans to set you need two plants.

I have a young Erythrina (possibly a lysistemon) in my garden back in SA. I planted it about 4 years ago and its only this year flowered for the first time at a height of 2m. I was so excited, while back at home for May-September (our very short winter!), to find brown buds developing on the bare tree (in areas with cold winters they drop their leaves just before they start blooming). The buds just kept on swelling growing visibly larger almost by the day. The day before I left for the airport I could see the fully formed tube shape of the flowers and how bright scarlet they were, but alas they never opened in time for me to see them. Being the virgin bloom so to speak the flowers were rather scarce, but I'm still thoroughly dissapointed that I missed them! I've heard that they are one of the best trees for attracting colourful sunbirds to your garden in SA, because of the large amount of nectar each flower possesses. Hopefully I will be around to see it bloom next year.