This perennial is widespread across east-central states, between the Coastal Plain and Great Lakes region (K); it is rare and much declined in New England (Brown 2003). The species occurs usually in thin rocky woods with Quercus and Carya on somewhat base-rich soils (K, W). However, it is also known from submesic sites of floodplains (as in BALL) and prairies (FNA 5; Brown 2003). Variation may need further study; reported 2n is mostly 48 but rarely 34 (FNA 5). A few colls. have been referred to the more scabrous var. scabrella Palmer & Steyermark (e.g. B), but that relatively western taxon has not been recognized in recent treatments. S. stellata is specialized for pollination by nocturnal moths, but there can also be frequent visitation by diurnal bees (Reynolds et al. 2009). The species is highly susceptible to mammalian herbivory, based on personal observations (especially deer in woodland and rabbits in urban gardens), as noted in the literature for several other species of Silene.