Family: Fabaceae

Form: Deciduous multi-stemmed shrub reaching 10 to 15 ft.

Leaves: Trifoliate, alternate, distinctly tri-lobed

Stem/Bark: Young green stems becoming fibrous and brown with age; short curved spines

Flower: Red, tubular, terminal racemes flowering before new leaves

Fruit: Green pods turning brown and exposing red seeds

Comments: Flowers appear after leaves have dopped, making them stand out against the bare, light bark.