Common name:Red Mangrove Scientfic name: Rhizophora mangle Red, or American Mangrove grows as a large shurb or tree up to 30 ft. tall. The stems grow and entagle with each other. The leaves are shiny and up to six inches long. The stems produce stilt roots, often forming dense thickets. Infestations have significantly altered almost all brackish water ecosystems as well as many fishponds. The seedlings are spread by water. The hard wood of the mangrove is used for fuel, charcoal, fences, and buildings; the bark and shoots for dye. The bitter seeds are used for food in time of famine.