Buttonwood

FIURolando · 18. The Buttonwood, Also Known As

The Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), also known as “Silver Buttonwood”, is part of the mangrove tree family. The leaves and stems are covered with silver hairs giving the tree its name. Each leaf has two small glands at the base that secrete nectar which attracts ants and other insects. These coastal trees are normally found along the inward edge of tidal mangrove zones where the elevation is the highest and are subjected to the least inundation. The Buttonwood is salt-tolerant and may survive tough situations. They also tend to be used as hedges or as a host for epiphytes.