Fens, beach meadows, tamarack swamps, stream borders, usually in open calcareous sites.

One of the more easily recognized species, distinctive in its narrow leaves and usually abundant white-tomentose pubescence. It occasionally hybridizes with several other species, the influence of this parent generally recognizable by presence of the characteristic tomentum.

Plants with the leaves glabrous or nearly so (sometimes glaucous rather than green on the under surface) are known as f. denudata (Andersson) Rouleau, and occur sparingly throughout the state.