This is a sedge. Most Rhynchospora species are wind pollinated. The white bracts of this species attract insects. Can use as a groundcover in moist sites. Good in an informal savanna setting, rain garden or bioswale.

Needs substantial water during establishment, then relatively drought tolerant. Nodules on the roots of the plant, with the help of Rhizobium bacteria, fix nitrogen. Grow as a groundcover. Can be used as a turf replacement and can be mowed. Not good for heavy traffic. Tends not to have good cover during late fall through early spring.

This was one of the important grasses of the mid-western prairies. Survives occasional flooding and repeated burning. Plant in the rear of a wildflower garden. The flower/fuit stalk is quite showy with a golden plume (the stamens are yellow)in mid-fall. The stems and fruit retain a golden straw color through the fall. The remainder of the year, the grass is much lower (about 2 ft) and blue-green in color.

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.

Its small to medium size make it appropriate for small landscapes as a specimen tree.

While occurring naturally in wetlands, this plant makes a good shrub in reasonably moist uplands. Use as a background plant in moist, shady areas. Charming when planted along a stream. Blooms are showy, longlasting. Has a tendency to produce suckers, so best planted where it can be contained.

This plant can be used as a background planting that will create a light orange haze during the late fall and winter months. Andropogon virgnicus var. glaucus (chalky bluestem) is very light blue-green in color and grows in dry sites. Background planting or as a casual tall bunching or clumping grass in meadow-like settings.

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.

There is a natural dwarf form that is associated with xeric uplands.  I makes a nice, low-growing shrub in casual gardens. Good as a background or hedge plant that also attracts wildlife. Rain gardens or bioswales.