Avicennia alba is a fast growing species and is sometimes planted, along with Sonneratia and Rhizophora, to help prevent coastal erosion.
The Sonneratia are called 'berembang' in Malaya, 'mangrove apple' in English, and 'Mangrovenapfel', "Pagatpat" in the Philippines, particularly in the Bataan and Pampanga region or 'Holzapfelmangrove' in German.
Ashtamudi Estuary has mangroves Avicennia officinalis, Brugiera gymnorrhiza and Sonneratia caseolaris as also 43 species of marshy and mangrove associates including two endangered species Syzygium travancoricum (endangered species according to the Red Data Book of Indian Plants) and Calamus rotang in the Terrestrial system.