It is indigenous to Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Hispaniola and has been introduced to much of the Caribbean, Uganda, and Sri Lanka.

[1] In Brazil, it occurs on plains and near rivers in the arid parts of the northeast of the country[2] and is commonly known as "mulungu".

[3] Erythrina velutina grows as a large tree to around 10 m (30 ft) high and has short spines on the stem.

Henry Nicholas Ridley described Erythrina aurantiaca as a species from Fernando de Noronha off the northeastern coast of Brazil, but this tree is now seen as only a form of E. velutina, Erythrina velutina f.

[10] Erythrina velutina contains the indole based alkaloid Hypaphorine which has shown sleep promoting effects in mice [11] Its seeds are similar to beans, but are red and toxic.