This subshrub occurs in much of eastern North America, but it is concentrated in or near Appalachian regions. There a relatively abrupt western edge to its range in the central and lower Ohio Valley, with only local extensions and disjunctions north to the Great Lakes region (K). This small evergreen plant is largely restricted to strongly acid soils, usually in dry woods. It is often concentrated along trails or other microsites where leaf litter is reduced. The genus Chimaphila in general may be most successful at moderate levels of disturbance from burning or browsing, with only occasional or seasonal use by deer (e.g. Atwood, 1941, Habeck 1959, Gaston et al. 2006, Lundell et al. 2014).