Bloomipedia
Green buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)
Photo: Jay Horn via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Green buttonwood

Conocarpus erectus

Native to Florida

Green buttonwood is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in February–November.

3states
5,679FL sightings*
5,849U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Florida

Quick look

Conocarpus erectus, commonly called buttonwood or button mangrove, is a hardy species of mangrove shrub in the family Combretaceae.

  • It belongs to the Combretaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 3 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–November. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,679 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #29 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist

Green buttonwood gift ideas

Handmade green buttonwood gifts from independent makers.

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    Green buttonwood art print

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When does it bloom?

In Florida, most flowering sightings come in February–November.

Flowering records by month in Florida (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (52 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records green buttonwood in 3 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Florida, Hawaii, Texas.

Florida counties with USDA records: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Indian River, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Volusia.

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Sources