--- type: species common_name: "Buttonwood" scientific_name: "Conocarpus erectus" difficulty_level: "intermediate" environment: "both" hardiness_zones: [10, 11, 12] url: "https://www.bonsailist.com/species/buttonwood" --- # Buttonwood Bonsai *Conocarpus erectus* — Family: Combretaceae ## About Buttonwood Bonsai Buttonwood bonsai are South Florida royalty. Collected specimens from the Keys and the Everglades produce some of the most dramatic bonsai anywhere on earth -- twisted driftwood trunks, silver-gray bark, wind-carved character that looks like a hundred years of hurricanes shaped every line. Conocarpus erectus is the species, and in the right hands, it's world-class. Two varieties to know: green buttonwood (the standard workhorse) and silver buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus), with fuzzy, gray-green leaves and slightly less vigor. Both make excellent bonsai, but green buttonwood gets used more because it's tougher and grows faster. Mature buttonwood have a presence that stops you. The deadwood, the twisted trunks, the wind-blown styling -- it rivals the best collected juniper. If you live anywhere south of zone 9, this species deserves a prominent spot in your collection. ## Care at a Glance | Aspect | Recommendation | | --- | --- | | Difficulty | intermediate | | Environment | both | | Light | Full sun | | Water | Keep moist, drought-tolerant once established | | Soil | Fast-draining, slightly alkaline OK | | Temperature | Above 40°F | | Humidity | Average to high | | Fertilizer | Every 2-3 weeks, year-round in tropics | | Repotting | Every 2-3 years | | Growth Rate | moderate | | Mature Height | 10-24 inches | | Pruning Season | Year-round in warm climates | ### Light Buttonwood demand full sun—at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. They're coastal trees that grow in open, exposed positions. Anything less than full sun produces leggy, weak growth. This is not a tree for shady spots. ### Water Water when the top half-inch of soil feels dry. Buttonwood are surprisingly drought-tolerant for a tropical species—they grow naturally in sandy, well-drained coastal soils. That said, consistent moisture produces the best growth. In summer heat, water daily. Reduce in winter. ### Soil Use a mix of 60% inorganic (pumice, lava rock, perlite) and 40% organic (bark, coco coir). Buttonwood tolerate alkaline soils better than most bonsai—they grow naturally in limestone-rich coastal areas. Fast drainage is more important than acidity. ### Temperature Buttonwood are tropical and cold-sensitive. Keep above 40°F. In zones 10-12, they live outdoors year-round. In zone 9, protect from frost. North of zone 9, they need to come indoors for winter, but they much prefer being outdoor trees. They handle extreme heat well. ### Fertilizer Feed with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during active growth. In tropical climates where growth continues year-round, maintain feeding. Buttonwood are moderate feeders. Organic pellets work well. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas that push soft, leggy growth. ### Repotting Repot in spring or early summer during active growth. Buttonwood develop dense root systems. You can prune roots moderately. Don't bare-root them completely—they prefer having some established root mass. Use fresh, fast-draining soil. ## How to Care for Buttonwood Bonsai Sun. And more sun. Buttonwood grow naturally on coastal dunes and mangrove edges -- wide open, exposed habitats with zero shade. Give them full, unobstructed sun all day long. Anything less and the growth stretches, internodes elongate, and you lose the compact character that makes buttonwood special. Here's a fun fact: buttonwood are salt-tolerant. If you live near the coast, this is one of the very few bonsai species that actually handles salt spray without flinching. While your juniper suffers, your buttonwood won't even notice. Winter depends on your zip code. Zones 10-12? Normal care year-round, no changes. Zone 9? Cover or move to protection during occasional freezes. North of zone 9? Bring inside to a bright, cool spot and cut back watering. They'll survive indoors, but they're not happy about it. Deadwood is a buttonwood trademark. Natural deadwood forms on collected trees, and you can carve it artificially with a die grinder or Dremel. The wood hardens beautifully and weathers to silver-white. Treat with lime sulfur to preserve it and prevent rot. ## Pruning Your Buttonwood Bonsai In warm climates, you can prune buttonwood any time of year. Cut new growth back to one or two leaf pairs to hold the shape and build density. Each cut pushes multiple new shoots below it. Structural pruning goes best during the growing season when recovery is fastest. Remove branches that fight the design, thin overcrowded zones, and sharpen the branch structure. One heads-up: buttonwood heal pruning wounds slowly. Use Japanese cut paste on anything larger than a pencil diameter. Large cuts left unsealed invite dieback. Defoliation works for leaf reduction. Strip all leaves in early summer from a healthy, full-sun tree, and the new flush comes in smaller. Only defoliate trees that are vigorous and well-established. Never defoliate a recently repotted tree. The bark is too attractive to damage with careless wiring. If you need to reposition a branch, wrap it with raffia first, then apply wire over the raffia. Or use guy wires anchored to the pot rim to pull branches into position without touching the bark at all. ## Styling Your Buttonwood Bonsai Buttonwood styling is deadwood-first. On collected trees the driftwood is already there -- decades of salt wind and storms carved it -- and your job is framing it: windswept and driftwood compositions that make the silver-white wood the subject and the live foliage the supporting cast. On nursery stock you create the feature yourself, carving channels with a die grinder. The wood is hard, takes power carving well, and weathers beautifully under an annual coat of lime sulfur. Literati style suits buttonwood that grow tall, sinuous trunks with sparse foliage at the apex. Strip most branches, keep one or two at the top, and the slim silhouette puts the trunk character on full display. The shari technique -- stripping bark along the trunk so a living vein feeds the canopy while the rest becomes deadwood -- is classic, advanced buttonwood work. It produces dramatic results but demands a plan. Map the vein before you touch a blade. Wire over raffia only; the bark damages easily and wounds close slowly. Branches set in four to six months, and the /tools/wire-gauge tool takes the guesswork out of wire thickness. Heavy branches move more safely with guy wires anchored to the pot rim. ## Common Buttonwood Bonsai Problems Cold is the enemy. One unexpected frost kills more buttonwood than every pest and disease combined. The foliage blackens and drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brief cold snaps cause leaf drop and the tree recovers. Prolonged freezing kills branches or the whole tree. Protect it. Period. After a cold snap, don't rush to prune -- wait for warmth and regrowth, then scratch doubtful branches with a thumbnail. Green under the bark means live wood; brown means cut back to green before dieback creeps further. Leggy, stretched growth means one thing: not enough sun. This is the most common problem for growers outside South Florida who try to squeeze by with partial shade. They can't. Buttonwood need full, direct, blasting sun. Scale insects are the primary pest -- little brown bumps attached to bark and leaf undersides. Wipe off small colonies with rubbing alcohol; anything persistent, treat per our pest control guide at /guides/pest-control. In tropical climates they show up year-round, so check year-round. Buttonwood seal pruning wounds slowly. Much slower than most species. Plan your cuts carefully, use cut paste on anything larger than a pencil, and never leave stubs that can die back into the trunk. That dieback can turn a clean cut into a major problem. ## Where to Buy South Florida bonsai nurseries are the source. Wigert's Bonsai offers everything from $40-80 starter buttonwood to collected specimens with massive trunks and natural deadwood for $300-2000+. Collected buttonwood from the Florida Keys are among the most coveted bonsai material in the Americas. Worth every dollar. Outside Florida, online vendors ship nationwide. Expect $50-200 for pre-bonsai material. Buttonwood aren't as widely available as ficus or juniper -- this is a specialty species. Check with tropical bonsai clubs and regional sellers. If you see good material, buy it, because it might not be there next time you look. ## Compatible Bonsai Styles - [informal-upright](https://www.bonsailist.com/styles/informal-upright) - [windswept](https://www.bonsailist.com/styles/windswept) - [slanting](https://www.bonsailist.com/styles/slanting) - [literati](https://www.bonsailist.com/styles/literati) ## USDA Hardiness Zones [Zone 10](https://www.bonsailist.com/climate-zones/zone-10), [Zone 11](https://www.bonsailist.com/climate-zones/zone-11), [Zone 12](https://www.bonsailist.com/climate-zones/zone-12) Native to Florida, Caribbean, Central America. ## Categories - [Outdoor](https://www.bonsailist.com/categories/outdoor) - [Tropical](https://www.bonsailist.com/categories/tropical) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What makes buttonwood good for bonsai? Dramatic trunk character, natural deadwood features, salt tolerance, and response to styling. Collected buttonwood from coastal Florida produce some of the most impressive bonsai in the Americas. ### Can I grow buttonwood bonsai outside Florida? In zones 10-12, yes, outdoors year-round. In zone 9 with frost protection. North of zone 9, they can go outside in summer but need to come indoors for winter. They much prefer being outdoor trees. ### What's the difference between green and silver buttonwood? Green buttonwood has standard green leaves and is more vigorous. Silver buttonwood has fuzzy, gray-green leaves and grows slightly slower. Both make excellent bonsai. Green is more commonly used. ### How do I create deadwood on buttonwood? Carve live wood with rotary tools or strip bark by hand. Buttonwood wood is hard and durable—it weathers beautifully. Apply lime sulfur to preserve the deadwood and prevent rot. ### Can buttonwood survive indoors? Temporarily, but they're not indoor trees. They need full sun outdoors. If you must bring them in for winter, give them the brightest window available and reduce watering. Move back outside as soon as it's warm enough. ### Are buttonwood salt-tolerant? Yes—one of the few bonsai species that thrives in coastal salt spray. They grow naturally along shorelines and in mangrove edges. This makes them ideal for bonsai growers near the ocean. ### Is buttonwood toxic to pets? Nobody has documented it either way -- Conocarpus erectus isn't in the ASPCA database or the usual veterinary references. The honest answer is unknown: don't let pets chew it, and if one does, watch for vomiting or lethargy and call your vet. ### How often should I water buttonwood? When the top half-inch of soil feels dry—daily in summer, less in winter. They're drought-tolerant once established but grow best with consistent moisture. ## Related Species - [Bougainvillea Bonsai](https://www.bonsailist.com/species/bougainvillea) — *Bougainvillea glabra* - [Brazilian Rain Tree Bonsai](https://www.bonsailist.com/species/brazilian-rain-tree) — *Pithecellobium tortum* - [Ficus Bonsai](https://www.bonsailist.com/species/ficus) — *Ficus microcarpa* - [Olive Bonsai](https://www.bonsailist.com/species/olive) — *Olea europaea* --- *Source: [BonsaiList](https://www.bonsailist.com/species/buttonwood)*