Edible portions : Vegetable ?, Medicine,
A shrub or tree. It is often 1-4 m tall but can grow 20 m tall. The trunk can be 1 m across. The bark is thick and has broad plates. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately. The leaves are narrowly oval. They are 2-7 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. The flowers are small and green. The fruit are clusters of small winged seeds. They are like buttons. The seeds float.
Distribution : It is a tropical plant. It grows along the coast. It is resistant to salt spray. It grows in mangroves. It can grow up to 700 m above sea level. It needs to be in a sunny position.
Common names : Buttonwood, Ariata, Buttonbush, Button mangrove, Button-tree, False mangrove, Florida buttonwood,
Synonyms :
Conocarpus acutifolius Willd. ex Schult.;
Conocarpus procumbens L.;
Conocarpus sericeus J. R. Forst. ex G. Don;
Conocarpus sericeus (Griseb.) Jimenez;
Conocarpus supina Crantz;
Terminalia erecta (L.) Baill.;