Wind pollinated.  Dioecious.  According to Huegel (2010), the flowers attract insects. Plant tree in areas where fallen fruit will not be an issue.

Used for shoreline protection. A major saltmarsh plant. Useful for erosion control.

The author treats this as a friendly weed. Pull them if where there is something more desirable. Back of a wildflower garden in a casual setting. Grown en-masse, this plant can be used as a temporary groundcover.