While it is related to chestnuts, its not generally subject to chestnut blight, and if it gets it, will likely recover. Natural settings as a small shade tree or large shrub.

Flowers are dark maroon, not showy. Small specimen tree. Also works well as a component of floodplain forests.

Specimen plant, thicket, or natural background plantings.

The range map for this species suggests that it might occur in the ApalachicolaRiver floodplains even where it had not been documented. Shade tree. This is a large oak.

Grow as an emergent along pond or lake edges or in aquatic gardens.

There is potential name confusion with this species since it was formerly considered to be a subspecies of O. hirtellus (Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. setarius) The Florida Plant Atlas indicates that Oplismenus setarius is common in Florida. O. hirtellus (not the subspecies) has been documented from only one Florida county, and it is a non-native. This is a low groundcover that can be effective seasonally as a low-use turf in shady locations.

Shade tree. It is known for its smooth light gray bark. Its leaves turn yellow and then light brown remaining on the tree until nearly spring and providing interest to the winter landscape. If you are privileged to have this tree in the landscape, retain and protect it.

Endemic.  This plant is listed as endangered by the State of Florida. Harvesting and transporting from the wild require landowner permission and may require a permit from the state. Please acquire through a reputable native plant nursery. Wildflower garden, groundcover. Would also work well as a mass planting. Can be grown in containers.

USF Plant Atlas location in Hillsborough appears to have been from seed in imported soil - the one in St. Lucie County has been removed from the FLAS database (likely it was an error). The Institute for Regional Conservation reports the species to be extirpated in Florida  though it is occasionally cultivated, potentially from imported plants.  Images provided here are from a specimen cultivated by Roger Hammer. Use as a specimen plant.

For special uses only. This tall growing vine can hide unsightly objects in moist places and is useful to providing cover for wildlife and food for birds. When grown on a fence or arbor, new leaves can be bright red in color.

Specimen plant or mass planting in well-drained but moist, humid sites.

Retain if in the landscape. Can be used as a specimen plant in areas not subject to root disturbance.

Rarely grown but worthy of consideration for moist areas. Poisonous and nectar may be toxic to some insects. Grow on support or up a tree in moist areas. Can make a good screen on a fence.

This is a Florida endemic listed by the USFWS and the State of Florida as Endangered.  Please acquire only from reputable sources that have the proper permits. Groundcover in dry coastal settings.

Naturalistic woodland landscapes.

May need trimming to form a single trunk tree for landscaping. Makes an excellent specimen tree due to the corky wings on its twigs. Older speciments are good shade trees.

The Florida Wildflower Foundation has a good pamphlet that includes culture of this species. Gray-green, fine foliage, border plant or individual speciments in a wildflower garden.

Listed as Endangered in Florida.  Please follow all State requirements for growing and transporting this species. Best used as a shoreline plant in the Sand Hill Lakes region of Bay and Washington counties. Treat as a thin, lacy background plant with shiny bark.

Depending on cold, this may keep its leaves all year or die back during the winter. In colder areas, consider growing it as an annual. It adapts well to semi-shady to shady well-drained conditions. Herbarium specimens from Marion and Alachua counties were in disturbed "garden" localities - not mapped here.  Not planted, but highly unlikely to have appeared other than through human disturbance. Used as a ground cover, one of the relatively few Florida plants that both forms a low dense cover and survives shade.

This is a rare plant that should not be disturbed in the wild. Could be used as a border along sandy paths or walkways or as a foundation plant.

Restoration of savannas. Curiosity in the wildflower garden.