Red mangrove is not yet known to be cultivated anywhere in South Africa, and is not an easy tree to grow in home gardens, but could be a very great feature when grown with precision. Species of mangrove grow naturally in brackish water (fresh water, mixed with sea salty water) in estuaries, swamps and lagoons, but research has shown that these mangroves can also be grown in fresh water.

Red mangrove is best propagated by seeds. When preparing for sowing the seed, one has to have a large container filled with fresh water and pots, about 13 mm deep, sifted bark, river sand or mud and a submersible pump. While potting, add a layer of sifted fine bark at the bottom of the pot to allow water to be absorbed and to prevent the medium from escaping from the bottom of the pot. Then add the river sand or mud. Pour fresh water into the container and fill the pots with river sand or mud, place the pots in the water and insert the seeds by sticking them in the medium (river sand or mud). Insert the submersible pump to circulate the water. The seeds should start germinating in 6 weeks. Once the roots have formed and the seedling has 2 leaf sets, transplant into 35 cm deep pots and leave it soaked in water permanently.

When one is planting the red mangrove in the garden, one should ideally have a flow of water with the trees growing in pots. Allow space in the pot for the tree to expand, as the roots can be very large in confined spaces. Red mangroves are slow growing with at least one leaf set per growing season. Throughout the whole process of growing this tree, use an organic liquid fertilizer, preferably in flowing water. On the water-logged sealed container, there is usually a bacterial and algae bloom, which negatively affects the health of your plants. There are no known pests in cultivation since we are only now trying to cultivate this tree.