Introduced from the West. Long known from a few localities in the Upper Peninsula where first collected in 1915 in Schoolcraft Co. Fernald (1950) implied that northern Michigan records formed part of the native range. Unfortunately, the generalized habitats given on these early collections are not especially helpful in assessing nativity ("damp open ground" or "damp sand") but a slightly later collection from Eagle Harbor (Keweenaw Co.) notes "roadside hollow." The first Lower Peninsula collection was in 1965 along the Ann Arbor Railroad in Ann Arbor (Washtenaw Co.). More recently becoming frequent along heavily salted roadsides in southern Michigan, especially in areas of heavier soils  (Reznicek & Catling, 1987).

This species forms clones that are predominantly male or female and it is most conspicuous along highways when it is in bloom, especially the slightly taller male (staminate) clones with yellow anthers.