Alectryon coriaceus
Beach Bird's Eye
The Alectryon coriaceus, or Beach Bird's Eye, is an Australian coastal shrub or small tree in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It carries thick, leathery, glossy compound leaves and is best known for its fruit: a small lobed capsule that splits to reveal a shiny black seed set in a brilliant red fleshy aril, the bird's eye that gives the plant its name. It grows naturally in littoral rainforest, coastal scrub and headland shrubland, almost always within sight of the sea.
Typically 3 to 5 metres in cultivation, and often dense and stunted on exposed headlands, it is a genuinely tough choice for seafront planting: it tolerates salt-laden wind, sandy soils and full coastal exposure, and its fruit is strongly bird attracting.
Specifications
- Height3 to 5 metres in cultivation, reaching 11 metres in sheltered rainforest
- Width2 to 4 metres
- Native toThe east coast of Australia, from Newcastle in New South Wales north to Maryborough in Queensland
- FoliageCompound leaves 4 to 15 cm long with two to four leathery leaflets, glossy dark green above and paler beneath, with smooth entire margins; evergreen
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilMoist, well-drained soils; grows readily in coastal sands
- LightFull sun to part shade
- WaterLow to moderate; drought-tolerant once established
- ClimateSubtropical to warm temperate coastal
Additional Features
- FlowersSmall greenish-yellow flowers in panicles 5 to 20 cm long, around December. Male and female flowers occur on the same plant, so single specimens can set fruit
- FruitA lobed capsule 5 to 7 mm long splitting to show a black seed almost enclosed by a vivid red aril, ripening March to July
- FormBushy shrub or small tree, becoming dense and compact in exposed positions
- UsesCoastal and beachfront planting, windbreaks and salt-spray screening, informal hedging, dune and headland revegetation, habitat and bird-attracting gardens, and small feature trees in coastal towns
- SpacingPlant 2 to 3 metres apart for screening, wider for individual specimens
- Salt ToleranceHigh; withstands direct exposure to salt-laden wind and salt spray
- Wind ToleranceHigh; occurs naturally on exposed coastal headlands
- Wildlife AttractionThe red-arilled fruit attracts birds, and the plant is a host for several local butterfly species
- Low MaintenanceRequires minimal care once established
- Seasonal AppealEvergreen foliage year-round with a long fruiting display through autumn and winter
Beach Bird's Eye is a resilient and practical choice for coastal environments, offering both ecological value and ornamental fruit in exposed, sandy landscapes.