Specimen tree. Valued for its foliage which is shiny green on top and silky brown beneath. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Slow growing. May be top-killed by frost in extreme northern parts of its range or when planted to the north of its natural range.  Does resprout from , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. , Habitat, Tropical rockland hammocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Insect pollinated.

Is being replaced  by S. lancifolia in Louisiana where there is salt water intrusion into wetlands.  Apparently much less salt tolerant that S. lancif , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds are attracted to the fruits. , Habitat, Marshes, wetter portions of wet prairies, swamps. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Attracts insect pollinators.

Information on salt tolerance comes from northern nurseries in areas where the biggest issue is likely to be salt used for deicing roadsides. This nat , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Fruits eaten by birds and small mammals , Habitat, Floodplains, marshy or swampy shores, cypress swamps and wet thickets, often in shallow water. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Thorns Attracts pollinators and is especially important for native bees.

Bloom can be long lasting relative to other early spring blooming trees -- as long as a month. Duration is dependent on temperature. Flowers grow dire , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, At the extreme south end of its range, it may not bloom well. The wood is weak and is likely to break off during a high wind event unless grouped with , Habitat, Upland hardwood forests. Bluffs, hammocks, secondary woods. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage Larval host for Henry's elfin (Callophrys henrici) and io moth (Automeris io). Popular with bees including bumbleb