Buttonwood, also called button mangrove, is an important part of the shoreline ecosystems in tropical America, from Florida to the Caribbean, Venezuela, and over the ocean in the Pacific Islands. The variety sericeus has small leaves densely covered with silvery hairs. The inconspicuous flowers turn into abundant reddish-purple, spherical fruits that grow along the leaf axils, bending twigs under their weight. This small multi-branched tree makes a nice specimen in the landscape. It can tolerate brackish soil, high heat, humidity, and once established, it is also drought-tolerant. It has been used commercially along streets, in parking lots, and by office buildings. It can also be used in bonsai.