Shade tree.

Use as a specimen plant or understory tree. May be single or multi-stemmed.

This plant is considered to be Threatened in Florida. Please preserve in the landscape and acquire new plants in an environmentally sound manner (seed or nursery-grown plants). Good as a buffer plant. Could be used as an informal hedge.

This is one of Florida's most showy and most under-appreciated wildflowers. Look for it along disturbed roadsides in mid-late winter and early spring. This is a personal favorite of one of the authors -- it grows and bloom early and attracts lots of insects.  The only issue is the prickles, so I wear gloves when weeding around it.  It reseeds readily so long as there is good sun and  bare ground where the seeds land. Don't let the name fool you, this is a Florida native. Wildflower garden. Roadside wildflower areas. This plant blooms from late winter into spring displaying its large flowers when little else is blooming in the garden.