Common Name: Red Mangrove

General Information

Rhizophora stylosa is a tree with a glossy green, quite compact crown; it can grow 8 - 30 metres tall. The tree often branches from low down, and can have more than one bole, which can be 25 - 60cm in diameter[].. The tree has looping pneumatophores extending for several metres over the ground and aerial roots descending from the stem and branches[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for its latex and wood.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, western Pacific Islands.

Habitat

Beach fronts or lower tidal reaches, sometimes extending upstream along tidal waterways that remain brackish for most of the year[]. Often found on the seaward side of mangrove swamps in Fiji, less often along beaches[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist to wet, coastal tropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 34°c, but can tolerate 12 - 44°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 650 - 3,500mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a fertile, loamy to clayey soil[]. Tolerant of high levels of salt in the soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.7 - 7.2, tolerating 6.5 - 7.5[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A red latex obtained from the plant is used as a hair dye and to paint pottery[].

The wood is hard and durable[]. It is little used due to its small dimensions[]. The stilt roots are flexible and were traditionally used for making bows[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed -

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