Mangroves are tropical plants that are adapted to loose, wet soils, salt water, and being periodically submerged by tides. Four major factors appear to limit the distribution of mangroves: climate, salt water, tidal fluctuation and soil type.
There are more than 50 species of mangroves found throughout the world. Three species of mangroves are native to Florida: Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) and White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa). The buttonwood, (Conocarpus erectus) is often considered a fourth mangrove species, however, it is classified as a mangrove associate because it lacks any morphological specialization common in true mangrove species, and because it generally inhabits the upland fringe of many mangrove communities.