This plant is easy to grow. Weak wood. Hedge plant, specimen plant, woodland plant. Plant where the silky brown/gold undersides of the foliage will be seen.

Bog gardens.

Very similar in appearance to several non-natives which are invasive pests, esp. N. cordifolia. If there are spherical tubers amongst the roots, it's N. cordifolia, the invasive tuberous swordfern.  In this vein, it appears that herbarium specimens from further north than indicated on our map have been reclassified as something other than N. exaltata.  We do not show those areas on our map. Groundcover especially in shady moist areas. Spreads by rhizomes.

Groundcover. Foliage is low and neat even during periods when there are no flowers (flowers in mid-spring). Plant not visible in winter. Can be naturalized in sunny areas. Can be used as a border plant or in a damp meadow.