Red Mangroves stand apart from the other species of mangroves in that they:
- live in deepest salt-water of the three, going from a few inches to over a foot deep.
- have large prop-roots, often times called “walking roots”, with thick lenticels for gas exchange.
- named “red” because they produce chemicals called tannins that turn the water and mud a rusty color.
- leaves are broadly-elliptical and the largest of the three (about 3 to 5 inches long).
- viviparous propagules can survive in salt water for over a year
