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Buttonwood

 

Silver Button Bush / Button Mangrove

Botanical Name: Conocarpus erectus

Family: Combretaceae

 

Zone: 10b - 11

Whats My Zone?

Background: Native to South Florida, the Bahamas, West Indies, Central and South America and Mexico. It can grow to a height of 50 feet or more. The wood was once used to make buttons. Some of the smallest specimans have beautiful shari and/or deadwood. Most of the best Buttonwood bonsai are collected in the Florida Keys. Most of this is protected and permission is needed to collect. Buttonwood is sometimes included as a member of the mangrove family. It is not a true mangrove, however, as it cannot tolerate its roots in salt water.
The Buttonwood generally grows slightly inland while the mangroves have their feet in the water.

Features: The Buttonwood develops small greenish white "balls" for flowers and is considered unimpressive. The Buttonwood leaves have small salt-excreting glands found at the leaf base. The buttonwood variety sericea is the silver buttonwood, so called because of the silvery cast to the leaves.

Soil Requirements : The buttonwood prefers a rich, loamy soil. If you find you cannot water often enough add more organic matter to your bonsai mix, but make sure it is well draining. A good practice is to add some of the old soil into the new when repotting. You need to keep these plants moister than most bonsai. Don't allow them to dry out. See repotting special instructions below.

Fertilization/ p.H: Use a well balanced fertilizer, preferably 20-20-20. Many growers have reported great success increasing branching and quick foliating using fish emulsion or other organic fertilizer during the growing season. Try to maintain a p.H. of 6.5 - 7.5 This plant needs to be fertilized because the more frequent waterings wash the nutrients out of the soil so much quicker.

Styles / Pruning / Training: Most styles typically take advantage of the impressive deadwood. The top can be heavily pruned, but use care with the roots. Watch for scarring when using wire. Old growth is brittle, so wrap the branch with rafia or tape before wiring. Once branches are established, to maintain shape, pinch out new leaf buds as they form. It is a vigorous grower during the spring and summer months. New buds will pop from the trunk often. To achieve leaf reduction and full pads, keep the ends of the branches pinched back, trim off the larger offensive leaves leaving a bit of the petiole (stem where the leaf attaches to the branch) and shortly it will bud back and break out with many new sprouts to chose from. These trees are very easy to work with in my opinion. The deadwood style is a favorite of mine, representing the hardships of nature.

Light / Water requirements: The Buttonwood loves full sun but will grow beautifully in partial shade. The Buttonwood requires heavy watering. Do not allow to dry out. Full hard sunlight will magnify water on leaves and burn them so be careful about how you water your plants in summer.

Propagation: Collecting is the best method, however many areas are protected and permission must be obtained. Cuttings have been successful by placing in fresh water (don't allow it to stagnate) during the warmer months. It may take several months and patience, but it can be successful. This can even work on larger species that are collected and have almost no roots.

Repotting Special Instructions: Repot when night temperatures are a minimum of low to mid 70's. Only repot when root-bound. They usually have few roots that damage easily, so be careful when you trim and how you remove them from the pot. It is best to reduce the root mass over several repottings and also to leave some of the original soil intact thus not damaging the fragile secondary roots. Another precaution is to defoliate, but always leave the petiole. An extra precaution is to set the newly potted plant in a dish of water in the shade until new buds pop. It is not always necessary, but if any wilting is noticed, do this immediately. Always err on the side of caution. Patience is important when repotting a Buttonwood. Make sure that there are plenty of feeder roots left.

Insects and Diseases: Buttonwood is resistant to most insects and disease. Use insecticidal spray with caution. Malathion, diazinon and oil based products are deadly to Buttonwood. Because of heavy watering, the trunks are susceptible to molds, fungi and rot. A good practice is to clean the wood with soapy water and a stiff brush occasionally. Use lime sulfur on dead wood.

Temperature Requirements: Protect below 40 degrees F. A humidity tray is recommended for indoor bonsai.

Buttonwood Bonsai Defoliated

My Buttonwood after a 4 day cold snap. It lost all leaves within 2 days after temps dipped into the 20's even though it was covered. I hope it comes back I really liked that one. I'll post new pics if it does.