According to Kew Gardens, it is from Central America and probably Cuba and Florida.   After going through the photos and labels for specimens in the SIEnet database, the only occurrences in Florida that were convincingly in natural systems (as opposed to highly disturbed areas) were on shell mounds, dunes, and similar coastal areas.  Hence, the range map provided highlights the counties along the west coast that have these. Noted as invasive  and weedy on many herbarium specimen labels.  Where not native, we should think of it as invasive.

Groundcover for dry sites. Clonal (forms small clumps of stems).It has deep red foliage in fall.

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.