Button Mangrove
Conocarpus erectus
- Native to:
- Angola, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil, Cabinda, Cameroon, Cayman Is., Central American Pacific Is., Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, El Salvador, French Guiana, Gabon, Galápagos, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Liberia, Mexican Pacific Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
iNaturalist: © alisonnorthup (iNaturalist #19823548)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Combretaceae
- Genus:
- Conocarpus
- Species:
- Conocarpus erectus
- USDA Symbol:
- COER2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 600 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- white, green
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Io moth (Automeris io), Tantalus sphinx (Aellopos tantalus)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Urodeta Stainton
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire or mechanical damage.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, saline, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in coastal and mangrove areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment. Best results with fresh seed sown on moist soil surface.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI