Hop Sedge's spiky seedheads and gracefully drooping stems provide texture to any garden, and food and habitat for birds and small mammals. It is so named because its seedheads superficially resemble the spiky fruits of hops, though they are not related and do not share any uses. It is easy to grow in garden settings, as long as it’s in an area with enough moisture. Put it in lightly shaded, rich soil that holds moisture or in any soil in low areas that tend to dampness, or under a drain spout where moss grows. In full sun, put it next to a water feature such as a pond or stream.

Hop Sedge can be used in naturalized watery areas that do not dry out as quickly as rain gardens, such as: the edges of streams, ponds, rivers, and wetlands. It's good for shoreline restoration as its rhizomes provide stabilization to soils. Mammals who use sedges as food include black bears who eat the seedheads and leaves, Eastern grey squirrels who eat the seedheads, and meadow voles who eat the seeds, rhizomes and leaves. Wetland sedges provide food for the Sedge Wren, ducks, swans, shovelers, teals, coots, snipes, and sandpipers among others. Sedges in landbound areas provide food for songbirds.