Grows well well north of its native range.  Documented in very southern counties with an outlier in Martin County -- that outlier is also unique in that it was collected near a cypress dome. Closely related to corn, this species has been crossed with maize to produce a corn that is resistant to Helminthosporium turcicum, the fungus that causes northern leaf blight  (Wikipedia). Listed as Threatened in Florida. Informal borders.

Very thorny. In the northern parts of its range, a thornless cultivar is planted. Specimen tree. To avoid insect issues, best not to plant in large numbers.

Informal shady semi-shady gardens.

Natural areas with some trees and vines for support