The Naked Coral Trees of Southern California

By Simie Seaman

The Naked Coral Tree is native to eastern Mexico the brilliant display of orange and scarlet flowers have made it widely popular among Southern Californians. Los Angeles is known for its Palm trees, but the official tree of Los Angeles is the Coral Tree. In 1966 Los Angeles City Council declared the Coral Tree the city’s official tree of Los Angeles and can be found in gardens and parks throughout Southern California. Outstanding mature specimens can be seen in Ken Malloy Regional Park, Machado Lake.

When in flower, the Naked Coral Tree looks more like a coral on a reef in the South Pacific than a tree on land in Los Angeles.

The Coral tree blooming season is from February to May, the buds slowly develop into beautiful flowers – bearing brilliantly coral-red, sword-like, 3-inch long petals that radiate from the flower center. Hummingbirds just love the nectar. These exotic blooms are displayed on completely nude branches, well before the leaves return in the summer – hence the common name, “Naked”.

The branching structure and the trunks are often contorted into interesting sculptural forms. Its bark is smooth and greenish- to pinkish-gray, with corky furrows. Fair warning: this otherwise lovely tree is well armed with short, sharp thorns – and its seeds are toxic.