Found a thorny shrub growing among the saw palmettos and want to know if it is native or an invasive that I should be concerned about.
I live on Fripp Island.
Leaves are smooth edged, triangular and compound (three leaflets)
Dried spikes have pods with orange beans inside (in August)
Hi Jack,
this is Erythrina herbacea, the Coral bean. It is in the bean family, Fabaceae, but, as I understand it, the very colorful beans can be extremely poisonous if eaten. It is native, and the red flowers attract hummingbirds.
Sincerely,
Steve Hill, Botanist, SCNPS