Specimen shrub.  Thorniness makes it a good property edge hedge. , Tolerance, Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure t , Considertions, Spiny , Wildlife, Birds eat the fruits (and the red&black arils). , Habitat, Dry coastal hammocks and shell mounds. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Larval host  for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus th

Rarely planted. Good background plant. Can make a good screen. Becomes scraggly if overly shaded, but may be trimmed back for bushier growth. Clonal. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by birds though it is bitter and often eaten as a last resort. , Habitat, Low flatwoods, cutthroat seeps, dry prairie, coastal swales, bogs, sinks. , Did You Know?, Bees pollinate flowers. Documented bees include Colletes banksi, C. brimleyi, C. inandibularis, C. nudus, Perdita floridensis, Agapostemon splendens,

It's quite hardy and tolerant of difficult environments. The herbarium specimen from Wakulla County is from a natural area.  It is a 2012 specimen and , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo , Wildlife, Good wildlife shelter.  Birds eat the fruits. , Habitat, Hammocks, pinelands, sloughs, seasonally flooded marshes in pine rocklands. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage