Wood is used for posts, beams, musical instruments and for firewood. Bark and foliage was once used for tanning leather. Small mammals and birds relish the fruits that persist into winter.
Hoofed browsers eat the twigs and foliage.
Many species of birds nest among the dense twigs. The flesh of the fruit is used to make a sherbet in the Orient and a strong alcoholic beverage in the Soviet Union. This hardy, adaptable tree is used as a shade tree or hedge plant in yards and parks for its gray-green foliage effect. In the Plains states, it is used extensively for windbreaks, shelterbelts, erosion control and wildlife plantings. These plants can be kept vigorous by pruning.