Listed as Threatened in Florida.  Please acquire only from appropriately licensed sources. Specimen tree or understory tree.

This colony-forming fern is well-behaved in the landscape. Use as a groundcover in moist areas, rain gardens, or bioswales.

May be semi-parasitic on the roots of other plants which makes it challenging to grow. Best planted near a potential host such as an oak. May die back in winter in northern parts of its range, Hedge plant, wildlife plant. Large shrub which can be trained as a tree in the right conditions. Crown is narrow and irregular and the trunks and branches are crooked or twisting.

This is a native that makes Florida look tropical. Herbarium specimens from Leon County say that the fern was likely brought in.  Otherwise, the northern locations appear to be coastal, and likely that should be considered when considering this species.  The entire peninsula appears to be appropriate habitat. Typically epiphytic (on trees). Interesting grown in the boots (old leaf bases) of cabbage palm. Can also be grown in soil or on rock as part of a shade or fern garden.

Compound leaf has "wings" of tissue along the leaf-stem (rachis). This is one of the few shrubs that produces brilliant red fall color in much of Florida.

Nice blog article by Florida Wildflower Foundation. Background plant somewhere between a shrub and vine in character.

The species is hermaphroditic (monecious), meaning flowers have both male and female reproductive structures on the same plant. This is a near-endemic meaning that it occurs mostly in Florida with a few outlying populations in Georgia and South Carolina. Moist wildflower gardens.

Specimen plant. Slow growing.

Wildflower garden or meadow..