Understory tree. Can be trimmed to keep sized as a shrub. Accent shrub or can be trained as a hedge.

If grown in a freshwater environment, S. patens will grow much bigger. Use as a shoreling stabilization plant on edges of sand beaches and saltmarsh.

This species is broadly planted. It is one of the few native trees that is widely available. Noted for its twisty form, tolerance of root damage, and longevity. The form of this tree varies enormously with light conditions.  Open grown trees are sometimes shaped like inverted bowls and there is much horizontal growth.  Shade grown trees tend to grow straight toward the best light source and can either be tall and straight, or if the light is nor directly above, be very twisty. Noted for being a good epiphyte host. Throughout much of its range its branches are hosts to many epiphytic plants, especially bromeliads (such as ball moss, Tillandsia recurvata and Spanish moss, T. usneoides), ferns (such as resurrection fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides  and orchids including butterfly orchid (Encyclia tampensis). Large specimen tree or shade tree.

Groundcover for moist to wet sites.