Approximations of stand water use versus evapotranspiration from three mangrove forests in southwest Florida, USA

•We use sap flux to determine stand water use (S) for 3 mangrove forests in Florida.•We compare rates of S with evapotranspiration (ET).•S represented 34–66% of ET, depending on forest structural characteristics.•S ranged from conservative rates of 350mmyear−1 to higher rates of 872mmyear−1.•Many mangrove forests are small in stature and likely conservative in water use.