This was one of the important grasses of the mid-western prairies. Survives occasional flooding and repeated burning. Plant in the rear of a wildflow , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Birds eat seeds. , Habitat, Flatwoods, sandhills. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers, Showy fruits Larval host for pepper and salt skipper (Amblyscirtes hegon).

While occurring naturally in wetlands, this plant makes a good shrub in reasonably moist uplands. Use as a background plant in moist, shady areas. Ch , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Dome swamps, riverine swamps, seep slopes. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Attracts a wide variety of insect pollinators.

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. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt , Wildlife, Birds and other animals eat the seeds. , Habitat, Salt and brackish water of shores, farmlands, marshes, dunes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance