It is valued for canoes, canoe frames, boats, docks, fishing lures, floats, poles, posts, fences and shingles. This species is of limited value to wildlife. White-tail deer, snowshoe hares and moose feed on the foliage in winter.
Red squirrels eat the buds in spring and store cone-laden branchlets for winter use.
This species has a shallow root system, transplants easily, grows easily from cuttings and is widely cultivated for use as an ornamental. It is a good accent plant for use in landscaping. It responds well to pruning and is often used as a hedge or foundation planting. In northeast Iowa it is sometimes used as a windbreak.