White mangrove

​

The white mangrove mostly inhabits the upper intertidal region, although it thrives in a variety of sites with abundant nutrients and low salinity. The species grows upland from red mangroves and black mangroves, and as such buffers them from hinterland pollutants.

A shrub or tree no more than l5 m tall, the white mangrove has yellow green opposite, rounded, flat and broad leaves approximately 7cm in length, with two glands at the base on the apex of the petiole. The bark is brown or reddish, rough and fissured The white mangrove often generates peg roots shorter and stouter than otherwise similar pneumatophores, and occasionally prop roots.

The white mangrove blooms with tiny (5mm) white, bell-shaped flowers in spring and early summer. Its small propagules are usually less than 1cm long. Seedlings are not as salt tolerant than the red mangrove’s and are easily out-competed. Laguncularia racemosa needs more freshwater than other mangrove species and is therefore vulnerable to drought.