Many spleenworts are rare. Please do not harvest from the wild. Most spleenworts have very narrow ranges and narrow environmental tolerances. Don't confuse with the invasive tuberous sword fern Nephrolepis cordifolia--if the fern spreads via rhizomes and is abundant, it's probably the sword fern. Retain and treasure if already present. Spleenworts can be used in rock gardens where they grow well on limestone boulders. Many will also do well on logs. A few (such as Asplenium abscissum) can be grown as groundcovers.

Specimen plant or background plant in moist informal garden. This is a mid-sized bunching grass until the flower stalk shoots up in the fall. Then it sports a tall silvery plume that gradually turns to light brown.