Each stem has soft, fleshy green flanges running longitudinally down its length. When winter weather brings ice, the stems exude water that freezes in , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Habitat, Moist forest edges. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Attracts native bees. Nectar source for butterflies.

Shade tree. Relatively conical or oval in form. Straight trunk. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Acorns used by mammals and birds. , Habitat, Wet calcareous hammocks, wetland edges and floodplains. Sometimes in bluff microsites. , Did You Know?, Fall color, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance Larval host for the white-m hairstreak and Horace's duskywing.

Specimen plant, screen plantings, sometimes with unusual or weeping form. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Thorns. , Wildlife, Birds and other wildlife consume the fruit.  Used as browse by deer and rabbits. , Habitat, Dry sites. Open woods, mixed woods, sandy pinelands. , Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Thorns Larval food for hummingbird clearwing moth(Hemaris thysbe), striped hairstreak butterfly(Satyrium liparops), and blinded sphinx