"Cry Baby Tree"

Has anyone heard of a tree with its common or nickname as a "Cry Baby". I had a job the other day and was trying to identify this tree and the owner said all he knows it as was a "Cry Baby". And this was because when its red flower opened it revealed a white bulb and when he was a child they would take the bulb and squeeze it and it would make a high piercing sound like "whah" which sounded like a baby crying. He said everyone around town knew what a cry baby tree was. Boy did I feel dumb since I was supposed to be the arborist.

So any you arborists out there have any info. on such a tree?

It is only about 30-40ft high, has very rough bark on the trunk with fairly deep ridges. Its leaves are alternating on the stem, but has a 3 leaf whorl at the end of each stem. The leaves edges are smooth and are fairly long, about 3-5 inches and shaped much like a hickory's leaves. The flower is like a red "V" shaped series of small leaf like postules with a small white bulb protruding from the center when blooming.

The closest I have been able to come up with is a "Ailthanus" tree, but don't think this is correct.

Can someone please help?

Erythrina crista-galli is sometimes referred to as crybaby tree. Check out these links. Is it the same tree?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrina_crista-galli

http://coolexotics.com/plant-401.html

Always ask google:

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&safe=off&rls=com.netscape%3Aen-US&q=%22cry+baby+tree%22&btnG=Search

Google says that Erythrina lysistemon also is referred to as crybaby tree, so you'll have to compare the two and see if either one fits.

http://www.driftwoodgardens.com/rainforestcrybabytree.htm

Yeah!!! Thanks so much Leon and Tom.

That's it! --the Erythrina crista-galli that you pictured.

I couldn't find it in any of my ID books and I have about six of them.

Leon, did you find that in google also? Was there any other common name and what family is it in?

Yes I did find that in Google.

Around here Erythrina crista-galli is commonly called Coral tree. Cry baby tree is a new name by me. It is in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is a nice tree with beautiful flowers, but unfortunately we have a new pest (a gall wasp) that got into the state about a year ago and is wreaking havoc with all of the erythrinas, including the native species.

Thanks Leon.
Fortunately we haven't had that wasp trouble here, at least that I know of.
The cry baby aspect seems to have been an old tradition, especially here in New Orleans where they would make the bulbs scream. I'm not sure how they did it though.
Boy this one was tough to identify because each part of the tree resembled other more common trees, except for the flowers.
Anyway thanks so much. My customer will be glad to know the background of this one.

Leon,
Check your u2u messages.

It's a urethra and it's all red. Difficult to have a piss like that, eh?