Fronds are lacy and delicate in appearance. Ground cover. This is a clump-forming fern (all fronds arise from a central point) making it a good focal point in a shade garden. Can also be used as a border plant.

Hedge plant.

Fragrant. Understory tree in moist areas.

Blooms open late in the day and remain open through the night. Fragrant. Can be agrown as an anuual north of its native range.  Considered to be invasive in subtropical and tropical areas outside of its natural range. Recommended only for use where it can be controlled such as on a trellis or in areas where expansive growth is appropriate. Rain gardens or bioswales.

Depending on cold, this may keep its leaves all year or die back during the winter. In colder areas, consider growing it as an annual. It adapts well to semi-shady to shady well-drained conditions. Herbarium specimens from Marion and Alachua counties were in disturbed "garden" localities - not mapped here.  Not planted, but highly unlikely to have appeared other than through human disturbance. Used as a ground cover, one of the relatively few Florida plants that both forms a low dense cover and survives shade.

The range map for this species suggests that it might occur in the ApalachicolaRiver floodplains even where it had not been documented. Shade tree. This is a large oak.

Interesting silky-looking foliage. Tallish groundcover in mesic (moist) areas. Can be planted in groupings in shady areas. Despite the name, the leaves are pretty, almost silky or velvety in appearance.

Two varieties exist, both occur in this area. Wildflower garden.

Forming a thicket for wildlife protection.

Specimen tree, can also be containerized, hedge plant, patio plant, or median plant.

There is potential name confusion with this species since it was formerly considered to be a subspecies of O. hirtellus (Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. setarius) The Florida Plant Atlas indicates that Oplismenus setarius is common in Florida. O. hirtellus (not the subspecies) has been documented from only one Florida county, and it is a non-native. This is a low groundcover that can be effective seasonally as a low-use turf in shady locations.

Naturalistic woodland landscapes.

Dry meadows. Wildflower gardens.

This species has a cold requirement. It cannot be grown successfully much south of its native range. Early spring wildflower. Can be planted as a seasonal groundcover in a shady location.

Can be grown as a groundcover. This is a species on the southern limits of its range in North Florida.  Its known occurrence (ISB 2020) is sparse in FLorida. Informal plantings, especially butterfly gardens. Useful for erosion control.

The Florida Wildflower Foundation has a good pamphlet that includes culture of this species. Gray-green, fine foliage, border plant or individual speciments in a wildflower garden.

While it is related to chestnuts, its not generally subject to chestnut blight, and if it gets it, will likely recover. Natural settings as a small shade tree or large shrub.

This is one of the world's most widespread species. Multiple subspecies exist  within Florida with two being widespread. Because of its tolerance of acidic soils, this is sometimes used for reclamation of acidic soil areas. Adapted to relatively frequent fire. Groundcover. This is one of the few ferns that can handle sun. Height will depend on variety with bracken ferns from South Florida typically being much larger than those from further north.

Sensitize to cold weather. Small specimen plant, foundation planting, general cover plant in shaded areas.