Black Mangrove

(Avicennia germinans)

Black Mangrove plants are very important to the ecological community. The plant drops its leaves providing food for crabs. Crabs are eaten by birds and birds are eaten by larger animals. The plant excretes salt through its pores. The underside of the leaf is a grayish green. The Black Mangrove produces white flowers mainly in June and July. The honey made from the nectar is of a very high quality. The Black Mangrove has pneumatophores, black protrusions that grow vertically from the mud to provide air exchange and nutrients. The height of the pneumatophores are just above highest tide level. The tree will drown if its pneumatophores are submerged under water for too long. The dark bark on the trunk is corky-looking. SW Florida has the greatest concentration of mangroves in the world. A tea from the bark has been used to treat ulcers, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, and tumors.

Information Provided by the Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve
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