Buttonwood

Scientific name: Conocarpus erectus

POWO Status: Shrub or Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Least Concern

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 58.88″ N, 64° 49′ 45.68″ W

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Medicinal Uses

Conocarpus erectus (Buttonwood) is used in traditional medicine for various ailments like fever, diarrhea, diabetes, infections, and inflammation, leveraging its rich phenolic compounds for antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimalarial properties, with leaves, bark, and fruits used in decoctions or consumed, though scientific validation for many uses is ongoing. 

Traditional Medicinal Uses:

  • Fever & Inflammation: Decoctions from leaves and bark are used as antipyretics (fever reducers) and for anti-inflammatory effects, helping with prickly heat and swellings.
  • Gastrointestinal Issues: Used for diarrhea, constipation, enteritis, and colitis.
  • Infections: Applied for gonorrhea, syphilis, conjunctivitis, and general infections due to antimicrobial properties.
  • Parasitic/Protozoal Diseases: Shows antiplasmodial (malaria), antileishmanial, and antitrypanosomal activities.
  • Diabetes: Traditionally used to help manage blood sugar levels.
  • Wound Care: Bark and fruits used for wounds and hemorrhoids.
  • Other Uses: For anemia, catarrh, headaches, and as a diuretic. 

Active Compounds & Properties:

  • Phenolic Compounds: Rich in flavonoids, tannins, gallic acid, ellagic acid, quercetin, and myricetin, contributing to its medicinal effects.
  • Antioxidant: Extracts show strong free radical scavenging and antioxidant capacity.
  • Antimicrobial: Demonstrates antibacterial and antifungal activity against pathogens like E. coli, S. aureus, and Klebsiella.
  • Other Activities: Shows potential as anticancer, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective (liver-protective). 

Forms of Use:

  • Leaves, bark, fruits, and flowers are used.
  • Decoctions (boiled preparations) and direct consumption (leaves) are common. 

Scientific Standing:

  • While traditional uses are widespread, research continues to explore and validate these pharmacological potentials, with studies showing promising antibacterial, antioxidant, and protective effects in labs.

Observations

Phenological Markers – Conocarpus erectus (Buttonwood)
Family: Combretaceae
Common Names: Buttonwood, Button Mangrove, Silver Buttonwood (for the variety with silvery foliage)
Local Names: Often simply “Buttonwood” in the Virgin Islands and coastal areas

🌳 Description:
A versatile, salt-tolerant tree or large shrub commonly found in coastal areas, often forming part of the landward edge of mangrove communities. It can grow as a dense shrub or reach heights of 10–15 meters as a tree. Leaves are simple, oblong, and leathery. The bark is rough and gray-brown. The silver-leafed form is popular in landscaping.

🌿 Leafing:

  • Leaf Type: Simple, alternate, leathery
  • Phenology Notes: Evergreen with occasional leaf turnover
  • New Leaves: Emerge bright green; silver form has striking pale or grayish foliage
  • Adaptation: Tolerates high salinity, poor soils, and periodic drought

🌸 Flowering:

  • Blooming Season: Typically spring to early summer (March–June), but can flower intermittently year-round in tropical climates
  • Flowers: Tiny, greenish-white, in dense, rounded heads (“buttons”); not showy but important for pollinators
  • Pollinators: Bees and small insects

🍈 Fruiting:

  • Fruit Type: Woody, cone-like heads that resemble buttons, giving the tree its common name
  • Fruit Season: Summer to fall (May–September)
  • Notes: Fruits dry and persist on the tree; not edible, but useful for ID and wildlife habitat

📍Habitat & Range:

  • Native to: Florida, Caribbean, Central and South America, West Africa
  • Common in: Coastal woodlands, saline flats, and as the upland fringe of mangrove zones
  • Found abundantly on: St. Croix and throughout the Virgin Islands, especially near salt ponds and coastal edges

🌱 Ecological Importance:

  • Stabilizes coastal soils and buffers storm surge
  • Provides habitat for birds and insects
  • Can be used for reforestation and erosion control
  • Wood is hard and resistant, used historically in cabinetry and charcoal

📷 Notes for Photography:

  • Capture:
    • Overall shape of tree (especially windswept coastal forms)
    • Bark and leaf detail (especially on silver form)
    • Flower “buttons” and dried seed heads
  • Best seasons:
    • Spring and early summer for flowers
    • Summer through early fall for fruit clusters
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