Conocarpus erectus
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Buttonwood
Combretaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Tree | |
| Size: | 20-40 (50) ft tall by 20-40 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Yellow,green,NA | |
| Fruit Color: | Brown | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Flowers and fruits all year. Long-lived (Nelson 2003). | |
| Noted for: | Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Specimen plant, shade tree, hedge. Will tolerate shearing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seeds or cuttings. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Big box stores, Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Quality nurseries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Somewhat long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of frequent or regular inundation (usually areas with tidal inundation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Calcareous (high pH) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
The seeds are primarily dispersed by water. | |
| Insects: | Nectar source and larval host plant for martial scrub hairstreak (Strymon martialis) and tantalus sphinx (Aellopos tantalus) . Nectar plant for amethyst hairstreak (Chlorostrymon maesites) and other butterflies. Attracts bees (http://www.tcbeekeepers.org/).
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| Native Habitats: | Upper edges of mangrove swamps and on lower parts of dunes. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | Wood has been used to make charcoal. | |
| General Comments: | Two color morphs, green and silver. Since it often occurs along the upland margin of mangrove swamps, it is sometimes referred to as the 4th Florida mangrove. The silver morph is generally smaller and shrubbier than the green morph. |