What is a silver buttonwood tree?
Similar Species: Silver Buttonwood ( Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus) is a subspecies that has silvery-gray leaves, but otherwise the same features. It is most often found as an ornamental. Comments: This hardy tree is a common component of Florida’s coastal flora; it is also native to the West Indies, Central and South America, and West Africa.
Is Buttonwood a good tree to plant in Florida?
A Florida native, buttonwood is ideal for seaside plantings as it is highly tolerant of full sun, sandy soils, and salty conditions. It also tolerates brackish areas and alkaline soils, thriving in the broken shade and wet soils of hammocks. This is a tough tree!
How big does a buttonwood tree grow?
These plants are moderate to fast growers that prefer full to part sun. They'll grow in part shade, too, but won't be as full or as colorful. You can trim to about 5 feet or let buttonwood grow to 10 feet for a hedge. As a small tree, expect a mature size of 20 feet unless you trim it smaller.
What is the origin of the word Buttonwood?
Look up buttonwood in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Buttonwood or Buttonwoods may refer to: "Buttonwood", a finance column in The Economist Buttonwood Agreement, 1792 effort to organize securities trading that created the predecessor of the New York Stock Exchange Conocarpus, a genus of flowering plants native to tropical regions of the world
Why is it called a buttonwood tree?
Buttonwood or buttonball tree has been given these two common names because it produces "button ball" fruit clusters; the seeds are tightly packed into large round fruits or "balls," which hang near the tips of branchlets.
What does the buttonwood tree look like?
The twigs are yellow green when young, becoming brown with age. Flowers are inconspicuous, with clusters of white flowers mostly 1 to 3 inches long. They appear at the end of twigs and at leaf axils. There are no petals, and the sepals are fused and greenish white.
What is a green buttonwood tree?
The Green Buttonwood is a Florida native tree and is known for its tenacity. Full sun, high alkaline soil, and salty air, are all ideal conditions, making it the perfect tree for south Florida and coastal areas. Appearance. The Green Buttonwood ages very nicely with the bark of the tree contorting and twisting with age ...
How tall do buttonwood trees grow?
about 20 to 25 feet tallPlanted in the open as a tree, buttonwood will grow to about 20 to 25 feet tall and wide, and will often take on a picturesque, contorted appearance when exposed to constant seashore winds, creating an attractive specimen.
Is the silver buttonwood a tree or bush?
As a small tree, expect a mature size of 20 feet unless you trim it smaller. Silver buttonwoods do best in Zone 10. They can't take the cold winter temps of Zone 9 and frost will do some serious damage. Since this plant is salt tolerant it's perfectly suited for coastal landscapes.
Is buttonwood a mangrove?
Buttonwoods are perfectly adapted to growing along flooded coastline. Known as “Florida's fourth mangrove,” they are not technically a mangrove, but closely associated.
What is Buttonwood used for?
The wood of Buttonwood was used for firewood, lumber, cabinet work, and charcoal making and is a perfect wood for smoking meats and fish. The tree usually develops included bark in crotches of major branches but the wood is considered strong enough to compensate for this defect to a certain degree.
Are Buttonwood trees messy?
Silver Buttonwood grows best as tree or hedge Either way, its silvery leaves beckon from a distance, adding stunning contrast without a lot of messy leaves to rake up. Already-trained one-trunk trees can be ordered from a nursery and can grow up to 20 feet, making it an ideal choice for a patio or deck area.
Are buttonwood berries edible?
White mangrove fruit are not edible. And the poor Buttonwood, Conocarpus erectus, (kawn-oh-KAR-pus ee-RECK-tus) never viewed on its own. The Buttonwood makes a nice landscape tree, is high in tannin and can be used to make a smokeless, high grade charcoal.
What kind of roots do buttonwood have?
The Buttonwood, also known as the Grey Mangrove, has a regular root system, unlike the other mangrove trees. It prefers the drier land and well drained soils, therefore is found further inland than the other mangroves.
How do you prune a Green Buttonwood tree?
How to Trim a Buttonwood TreePrune your buttonwood tree in the early spring to promote healthy growth throughout the year. ... Remove distressed branches with sharp, sterile shears. ... Trim back drooping and low-hanging branches to allow proper clearance for lawn equipment and walking traffic.More items...
Does Green Buttonwood grow fast?
Although some of the literature indicates the Buttonwoods are slow-growing, others highlight its fast growth after it is established. Green Buttonwood can be used as a specimen tree, a seashore tree or shrub, or as tree or shrub borders.
What is a silver buttonwood tree?
sericeus. The silver buttonwood tree is a member of the Combretaceae family and is considered a great addition for Florida coastal gardens because of its unusual silvery-gray color leaves, appealing growth habit and shapely trunk.
How do you plant green buttonwood?
1:134:16Green Buttonwood, Conocarpus erectus for a Wide Hedge - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause the green buttonwood will tolerate that as a native it'll tolerate some standing. Water asMoreBecause the green buttonwood will tolerate that as a native it'll tolerate some standing. Water as well as dry conditions once established.
Can you keep silver buttonwood small?
Growing sliver buttonwood in containers Keep plant pruned to desired shape and height. If buttonwood outgrows the container then transfer it to a larger container or into the ground.
Is silver buttonwood poisonous to dogs?
While silver buttonwood plants are not toxic to humans, they can be poisonous to dogs if ingested. The main toxic component of the plant is saponin, which can cause gastrointestinal upset and vomiting.
How do you grow silver buttonwood?
0:281:47Silver Buttonwood - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey are extremely salt tolerant so if you want a real pretty plant. And you're in a very high saltMoreThey are extremely salt tolerant so if you want a real pretty plant. And you're in a very high salt zone. It is an excellent choice because it tolerates full Sun sandy soils salty conditions.
Why is Buttonwood not a mangrove?
The Buttonwood mangrove is an associate mangrove; it is not classified as a true mangrove but is generally found in areas where mangroves grow. They grow further inland than all three true species of mangroves and because of this, they are excellent buffer systems for winds, pollution, and storm surge.
What is the scientific name for Buttonwood?
Conocarpus erectusGreen buttonwood / Scientific nameConocarpus erectus, commonly called buttonwood or button mangrove, is a mangrove shrub in the family Combretaceae. This species grows on shorelines in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Conocarpus erectus. Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus in Key Largo, Florida, USA.
How do you identify a buttonwood mangrove?
The purplish-green, cone-like fruits are about 1/2 in. in diameter. They are preceded by clusters of whitish flowers. Button mangrove has green leaves.
How tall is a buttonwood?
Use and Management. Capable of reaching a height of 40 feet with a 20-foot spread, buttonwood is often seen as a small, somewhat asymmetrical shrub but is ideal for use as a screen, clipped hedge, or specimen planting. The species is less common and grows taller than the silver buttonwood.
What is a glaucous tree?
This low-branching, multi-trunked, shrubby, evergreen tree has glaucous medium-green leaves. The inconspicuous, small, greenish flowers appear in dense cone-like heads in terminal panicles in spring and are followed by 1/2-inch, cone-like, red-brown fruits. The dark brown attractive bark is ridged and scaly. The tree is 'clean' with small leaves which fall between the grass blades of the lawn or are easily washed away in the rain.
Is buttonwood a good tree for seaside?
Trees are tough and long-lasting in the landscape. A Florida native, buttonwood is ideal for seaside plantings as it is highly tolerant of full sun, sandy soils, and salty conditions.
What is the growth form of a silver buttonwood tree?
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree, the trunk is usually upright but may lie prostrate and give rise to secondary upright trunks. Similar Species: Silver Buttonwood ( Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus) is a subspecies that has silvery-gray leaves, but otherwise the same features. It is most often found as an ornamental.
Where are hardy trees native to?
Comments: This hardy tree is a common component of Florida’s coastal flora; it is also native to the West Indies, Central and South America, and West Africa. All images copyright © 2014 Bill Buckley.
Meet the Famous Buttonwood Tree of Wall Street
Many visitors to Wall Street hardly notice the solitary buttonwood tree standing outside the New York Stock Exchange. As it happens, the New York Stock Exchange is one of the only buildings in the Financial District that hosts a tree in front of it — but it’s not just any tree.
Setting the scene
In response to the financial Panic of 1792 (more on this below), two dozen merchants and brokers, considered the crème de la crème of the New York business and financial community, gathered on May 17, 1792, near what is now 68 Wall Street. They met under the shade of a beautiful buttonwood (AKA a sycamore) tree.
The Panic of 1792 that started it all
The agreement was an attempt to establish a set of rules after the 1792 financial credit crisis. During the crisis, there were no rules or trading safeguards, and a lot of trades were reneged on.
Spoiler: The Buttonwood Agreement worked
The agreement worked, giving customers’ confidence in transacting business. This made the club membership enormously profitable. The profitability was a great incentive to follow the rules because in doing so, you would have access to a never-ending flow of capital and commissions.
More things to see around Wall Street
Wall Street Insider Tour guests pose for a pic near the Charging Bull.
So much more than a buttonwood tree
Of course, there’s a lot more to Wall Street than you’ll see at a glance. Just think how you would have walked by this sycamore tree without knowing how important a symbol it is for America and the global financial markets.
What color is silver buttonwood?
Silver buttonwood has velvety-soft leaves dusted with silvery-gray color and makes a stunning hedge, accent or small tree. Like all silver foliage plants, this shrub's unusual color contrasts beautifully with all the green in a landscape. It can look almost white in a landscape or take on a bluish cast. These plants are especially effective ...
How big do silver buttonwoods grow?
They'll grow in part shade, too, but won't be as full or as colorful. You can trim to about 5 feet or let buttonwood grow to 10 feet for a hedge. As a small tree, expect a mature size of 20 feet unless you trim it smaller. Silver buttonwoods do best in Zone 10.
Can you use silver buttonwood as a tree?
You can encourage this and use the plant as a multi-trunk tree. Or if you prefer the look of a single trunk tree, buy one from the nursery already trained that way. You can keep a silver buttonwood tree - or shrub - closely clipped for a neatly manicured appearance. This look works well in a formal landscape design.
Is buttonwood salt tolerant?
These are salt-tolerant Florida native plants. They're drought-tolerant once established but will also put up with "wet feet" occasionally, though green buttonwood is a better choice for areas that tend to stay moist.
Is silver a hedge or a shrub?
They can function as clipped hedge shrubs or left to grow in a more natural shape. There is a green variety but the silver is much showier and therefore more popular with homeowners. Because the plant grows in a vase shape - wider at the top - and basically wants to be a tree, it's often somewhat bare at the bottom.
The Name Game
Buttonwood refers to the fine grained wood of the American sycamore which was often used for making wooden buttons. Sycamore wood can be finely milled without cracking; perfect for producing long-lasting clothing and shoe buttons. Indeed, my West Virginian grandfather always called sycamore trees "buttonwood."
More Buttonwood History
An American sycamore figured prominently into the first permanent settlement west of the Alleghenies celebrated by Pringle Tree Park located just north of Buchannan, WV. John and Samuel Pringle deserted the British-American army at Fort Pitt around 1764. We sometimes forget about this allied army fought together in the French and Indian War.
The Good and the Bad of Buttonwood
The rich history behind our American sycamore is only one reason it's one of my favorite native trees. It's one the largest trees found in our eastern forests; trees topping 100' with 5' DBH trunks are not uncommon. The spreading graceful branches impart a stately profile and there is nothing like its stark white trunk.
What is the town of Buttonwood, PA?
Buttonwood, Pennsylvania, a village along Pennsylvania Route 284. Buttonwood Corners, New Jersey, an unincorporated community. Buttonwood Covered Bridge, a covered bridge in the US state of Pennsylvania.
Where are conocarpus native to?
Conocarpus, a genus of flowering plants native to tropical regions of the world. Platanus, a genus of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. Glochidion, a genus of flowering plants distributed from Madagascar to the Pacific Islands.