Extremely salt-tolerant to seawater salinity. Important plant in coastal environment rehabilitation. Used for wood production and the fruits are used as food for humans and animals. The flowers are used in perfumes. The leaves are used to strengthen sex and treat toothache. Leaves and seeds are food for animals and camels. Bark boiled in water taken orally as an aphrodisiac. Bark also has tanning properties. Renowned for the quality of its honey.

Seashore trees, 1.5 to 5m tall, mealy-tomentose. Pneumatophores 10-20cm. Leaves opposite, oblong, elliptic or obovate, entire, acute, 3-7cm long, 1-3cm broad, tapering at base to a short petiole, coriaceous, green on upper face, greenish-white on the lower, turning somewhat blackish when dried. Flowers small, sessile, in dense heads at the apex of short-peduncled cymes. Bract and two bracteoles concave, ovate. Calyx lobes ovate, obtuse, tomentose on the back. corolla about 5mm long, yellow, with four subequal spreading lobes. Capsule almond-shape, 1.5 to 2cm long, pale green or grayish, tomentose. Mangrove grows in 17 documented localities in the UAE, of which 16 are along the Gulf coast and one on the eastern coast on the Gulf of Oman near Khor Kalba. Mangrove stands are associated with tidal flats that developed along the shores of lagoons or islets within the lagoon (Embabi 1993). They are usually found in areas sheltered from strong wind and wave action. Dense stands of mangroves are common in some tidal lagoons between Jebel al-Dhana and north of Abu Dhabi Island, near Dubai, Rams, Ra’s al-Khaimah and Khor Kalba. Flowering from April to July; fruit remains on tree until October or November.

Nearly all shores, now it is planted in many coasts, creeks, and islands throughout the country.