Buttonwood

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light partial shade, but growth is less dense.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; established plants tolerate drought and occasional wet soil.

Soil

Adaptable to sandy, loamy or clay soils, including alkaline and saline soils; good drainage is preferable in gardens.

Height

20-40 ft (6-12 m)

Spread

15-30 ft (4.5-9 m)

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers in rounded heads, mainly from spring through autumn; flowering can occur year-round in tropical climates.

Foliage

Evergreen. Leathery, oval to elliptic leaves arranged alternately along the stems; green in the typical form and densely silver-haired in silver forms.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm conditions.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.4 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.9 m)

4. After 3 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

5. After 5 years

   14 ft (4.2 m)

About 16 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Fast

• Water the root ball deeply during establishment, allowing the surface soil to begin drying between waterings.
• Once established, water during prolonged drought rather than keeping the soil constantly wet.
• Apply a broad layer of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak or the soil is poor; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Allow room for the mature canopy and roots; do not plant close to paving, drains or small foundations.
• Keep container-grown plants in strong light and move them into frost-free shelter before cold weather.

Pruning. Prune in late winter or early spring after the risk of cold damage has passed, removing dead wood and selecting well-spaced main branches on young trees. Trim hedges lightly during warm-season growth rather than repeatedly cutting back into large branches.

Spring

Plant after cold weather has passed, water thoroughly and mulch the root zone.

Late spring

Check new growth and feed lightly only if the plant shows poor growth.

Summer

Water young plants during dry spells and trim screens lightly as needed.

Late summer

Inspect leaves and stems for scale insects, sooty mould and feeding damage.

Autumn

Move container plants under frost-free cover where winters are too cold.

Late winter

In frost-free gardens, remove damaged branches and correct weak or crowded branching.

• Use as a salt-tolerant screen or wind-filtering hedge in warm coastal gardens.
• Train as a small shade tree over a lawn or spacious courtyard, leaving ample rooting room.
• Clip into formal hedges or broad topiary shapes where regular maintenance is practical.
• Use silver forms as a pale foliage contrast beside dark green shrubs, palms and bold-leaved tropical plants.

Garden styles it suits: Coastal, Modern tropical, Florida subtropical, Caribbean, Formal and Topiary garden.

Plant it with: Sea grape, Cocoplum, Saw palmetto, Coontie, Muhly grass and Beach sunflower.

Wildlife: The small flowers attract visiting insects, and the dense canopy provides shelter and nesting cover for birds.

• Frost damage: leaves and young shoots can be scorched or killed; choose a sheltered, frost-free position and protect small plants during cold snaps.
• Scale insects and sooty mould: inspect stems and leaf undersides, manage ants and treat accessible infestations with horticultural oil according to the label.
• Chewing insects: caterpillars and beetles can damage foliage; identify the pest first and tolerate minor damage rather than spraying routinely.
• Root conflicts and weak branching: allow generous space around paving and buildings, and train young trees to develop well-spaced main branches.

Buttonwood is not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Do not treat its leaves, bark or button-like fruits as food.

• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

  Buttonbush is deciduous, with opposite or whorled leaves and conspicuous white spherical flower heads with projecting styles; buttonwood has alternate evergreen leaves and much smaller, less showy flower heads.

• White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)

  White mangrove has opposite, broadly rounded leaves, usually with a slightly notched tip; buttonwood has alternate leaves, usually with more pointed tips.

• Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans)

  Black mangrove has opposite leaves with pale undersides and commonly produces upright breathing roots in wet ground; buttonwood has alternate leaves and does not produce these breathing roots.

Buttonwood refers to the rounded, woody, button-like fruiting heads, while Conocarpus comes from Greek words meaning cone and fruit.

Propagation. Propagate from fresh seed or semi-ripe cuttings taken during warm weather. Use cuttings from a silver plant to retain its foliage characteristics; seedlings may vary.

Accepted botanical name

Conocarpus erectus

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. Introduced in Hawaii.

Native range

Angola, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Cabinda and Cameroon.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.