Can be pruned either as a small tree or a large shrub. Can also be used as a hedge. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and small mammals. Good cover plant. , Habitat, Moist hammocks. Rare. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Thorns Native bees love the flowers.

Specimen plant, typically forms clumps of stems,the young fan-shaped fronds hide the principal stems. The lower fronds can be removed so that the trun , Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon ( , Considertions, Leaf stalks bear spines. , Wildlife, Fruits spread by birds. , Habitat, Moist hammocks, swamps, but can adapt to drier sites. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Thorns, Hurricane wind resistance Attracts bees.

Fruits are magenta. There is a white-fruited/white-flowered variety, uncommonly found naturally in Florida, that is sold occasionally. Specimen plant , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Cut back in winter to encourage blooming and good form. , Wildlife, Many bird species consume the fruit. including catbirds, mockinbirds, and robins. , Habitat, Dry mesic hardwoods, xeric hammock, scrubby flatwoods, flatwoods, disturbed dry-moist woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for for spring azure butterflies and snowberry clearwing moths. Attracts various p

While most of these slow-growing trees were harvested for their wood, one Florida key retained its population because it was privately owned. It's now , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t , Considertions, Very slow growing--as little as an inch per year after the seedling stage if not fertilized. , Wildlife, Catbirds and mockingbirds eat the seeds. (IRC) , Habitat, Rockland hammock. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host plant for lyside sulphur (Kricogonia lyside) butterflies. (IR

If grown in a freshwater environment, S. patens will grow much bigger. Use as a shoreling stabilization plant on edges of sand beaches and saltmarsh. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt , Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Salt and brackish water of shores, farmlands, marshes, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance