There are colorful bracts surrounding the flower head. This plant is found across the southern US and its range extends northward into the central plains.  The range in the western panhandle may be disjunct from the range further south and east in Florida.

Grow in sites with good air circulation. Listed as Threatened by the FDACS.  Please acquire only from reputable sources with appropriate permits. Speciman tree especially valued for its mid-spring flowers. Use where its small size is an attribute.

It forms root nodules with a symbiont fungus to fix its own nitrogen; so it grows well in poor or sterile soil. Its persistent fruit looks like a very small pine cone. Informal specimen plant or could be used as a mass planting or hedge in moist areas. It is usually a multi-stemmed tall shrub.