Botanical name: Piscidia piscipula    Family: Fabaceae (Pea family)
Synonyms: Erythrina piscipula, Robinia alata, Piscidia toxicaria

Florida fishpoison tree is a medium-sized, deciduous, tropical tree endemic to southern Florida, the Florida Keys, Texas, Caribbean, and Latin America. The tree attains medium size with heights of 12 to 15 m and bole diameters of 46 to 118 cm. An irregular, open crown develops with stout, erect branches. Stem bark is thin and olive gray in color with irregular dark patches and many smaller scales. Its deciduous leaves, 9-23 cm long, are alternate and pinnately compound. Leaflets are 5-11, each 4-8 cm long, oppositely arranged. Leaflets are dark green above and distinctly paler grayish-green below with pubescence. The white flowers are tinged with red or pink. They appear in pea-like clusters in May and are attractive to bees. Trees will potentially bloom when about 4 m tall and 4 years old. Flowers develop into a light brown, bean-like pod, 8-to 10 cm long, with four papery wings. Flowering: April-May.

Medicinal uses: Florida Fish-Poison Tree can be toxic and should only be used under direction of a doctor. It has been used in traditional medicine for treating nervous conditions and pain. Recent scientific studies in animals suggest that bark extracts may have potential for their anti-inflammatory, sedative, and anti-spasmodic effects.

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The flower labeled Florida Fish-Poison Tree is ...