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. | |
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. |