Description
Conocarpus erectus, commonly called buttonwood or button mangrove, is a mangrove shrub in the family Combretaceae. This species grows on shorelines in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
The bark is thick and has broad plates of thin scales which are gray to brown. The twigs are brittle, and angled or narrowly winged in cross-section. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple and oblong, 2,7 cm long and 1,3 cm broad, with a tapering tip and an entire margin. They are dark green and shiny on top, and paler with fine silky hairs underneath, and have two salt glands at the base of each leaf.
The fruits are button-like, 5,8 mm diameter, with no petals; they are produced in stalked panicles of 35-56 flowe The fruit is a cluster of red to brown, small scaly, two-winged cone-like seeds, 5,15 mm long. The seed heads burst when ripe, and the seeds are dispersed by water.
Plant Specifications
| Plant Height |
19 inch (48 cm) |
| Plant Spread |
6 inch (15 cm) |
*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%
| Common Name |
Buttonwood, Button mangrove |
| Maximum Reachable Height |
upto 3.3-13 feet |
| Difficulty Level |
easy to medium |
Planting and care
Water a plant when the soil feels dry to touch. Water thoroughly in the summer and reduce watering for the winter & rainy season.Try to water the plants in the morning around 8-10am.You should remove dead, infected or damaged plant parts and throw in the garbage collector.You should prune and fertilize a plant mostly in the spring season.Woody plants need watering less frequently than tender annuals or herbaceous plantsWhen practical, especially in arid climates, use and maintain water-efficient soaker hoses or drip irrigation. Water briefly two or three times a week to keep soil moist, not wet.Most winter injury is from drying out, not cold temperatures. Be prepared to water during prolonged sunny, windy, dry spells even in the winter.Mulches help prevent water loss during hot, windy, or sunny weather
Propagation
- Most trees are grown from seed sown when ripe (usually in the fall) and exposed to natural temperatures and humidity
- Some trees are grafted or budded, especially fruit trees and hybrids, by taking pieces of the desired tree and inserting them into the stems of rootstock trees; this is done in winter or early spring
- A few trees can be grown from cuttings taken in the late fall or early winter
Conocarpus erectus care
| Sunlight |
2 to 4 hours of direct sunlight |
| Watering |
Medium |
| Soil |
Rich, humusy, and well-drained soil. |
| Temperature |
They need to be kept in temperatures above 60 F. (16 C.) and actually prefer temperatures above 70 F. (21 C.). |
| Fertilizer |
Feed with slow-release pellets in the beginning of the growing season. |
Conocarpus erectus uses
Ornamental Use:
- The variety series, with silvery leaves, has been used extensively in landscaping and became the most abundant tree/shrub.
