Moist wildflower garden.

This is a primitive plant that produces spores. Typically grown as a curiosity in a shade garden or as an epiphyte. Sometimes grown as a container plant.

Specimen plant, screen plant, understory tree/shrub.

Shade tree. Screen along wetland edges. Street tree for use in parking lots and median strips. Many acres have been planted to attract bees for honey production.

The entire state excepting the keys falls within the range of this plant which extends from North Carolina to Texas.   Herbarium specimens document occurrence, at least sporatically, throughout the peninsula but not in the Florida keys.  Counties without documented specimens are ones with heavy urbanization, dominance by unsuitable habitats, intensive farming or silviculture, or generally a lack of public access for botanizing. Moist meadows

Don't confuse this native with the two highly invasive ardisias: coral ardisia (A. crentata) and shoebutton ardisia (A. elliptica). While this will grown in full shade, it blooms better in part sun to sun. Specimen plant or hedge.

FNPS Blog article Specimen plant or background hedge.