Rhizophora mangle

Common Names

Red Mangrove, Mangrove, American Mangrove, Mangle, Mangle Colorado, Mangle Rojo, Palétuvier Rouge, Manglier Rouge, Sapateiro, Apareiba, Walking Trees

Summary

Red mangrove is a salt-tolerant evergreen mangrove native to subtropical and tropical coasts of the Americas and West Africa, distinguished by arching prop roots that suspend the tree above water and aid gas exchange in oxygen-poor mud. It grows as a tree or shrub to 6–25 m tall (about 20–82 ft) with thick, leathery elliptic leaves and year-round flowering, and seeds germinate on the tree and drop as propagules that disperse to new sites.

It occupies shallow brackish coastal waters and swamps, thriving in full sun with moist to wet soils and tolerance for sand, loam, or clay and high salinity. Propagation is viviparous, propagules developing on the parent and floating away to root elsewhere; typical planting spacing is 36–60 inches. Uses include coastal stabilization and erosion control, wildlife habitat and nurseries for fish and crustaceans, timber for posts and fencing as well as firewood and charcoal, and bark tannins with medicinal extracts.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

20-75 feet

Spread

20-30 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 10-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

No single ideal soil; broad tolerance across textures (sand, loam, clay) and pH 5.3–8.5, with moisture from moist to waterlogged.

Soil Drainage

Poorly drained, waterlogged soils

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Year-round

Foliage Color

Dark green upper surface; pale green to yellow-green underside.

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color change, evergreen leaves green year-round

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

1–1.5 m per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Vegetative propagation via coppicing and suckers

Attracts Wildlife

No wildlife attracted.