This can be a love-it-or-hate-it plant.  It is robust and can cover a large area.  Consider where you are going to plant it, and avoid planting in areas where it could take over a community pond. While this plant meets the Florida Native Plant Society's definition of native (here when Europeans first arrived), the center of its range is the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  American Indians are known to have spread this plant given that it was a good, prolific food source once established.  They may have brought it to Florida. Water plant.

Salt tolerance has not been studied but it has been recorded (in New England) in salt marshes, suggesting tolerance of at least brackish water and likely tolerance of some salt spray. Information is lacking regarding pollination for the species. However, the family exhibits flowers that are hermaphrodite, dioecious, or gynodioecious (fairly commonly), and is most often pollinated by insects, (bees, butterflies & moths, or flies).  Also has cleistogamous flowers,so self pollination may also occur(Collins 1976 as cited in New England Native Plant Trust, 2002). Wildflower garden. It blooms early before most of the other wildflowers.

Very thorny. In the northern parts of its range, a thornless cultivar is planted. Specimen tree. To avoid insect issues, best not to plant in large numbers.

Wet garden. Rain garden. Shade tree for wet areas and along wetland edges. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Slow growing.

Moist wildflower garden.

Wood is dense (hard). Listed as Threatened by the FDACS. Screen plant. Specimen shrub or small tree -- you can choose based on how you opt to prune (prune, don't shear).