This extraordinary monocarpic perennial ranges widely across east-central states but it is only locally abundant, usually in thin woods on seasonally dry base-rich soils. When flowering, it is by far the tallest species of Gentianaceae in eastern North America, at ca. 1-2 m; 2n = 78. Threadgill et al. (1981) showed that rosettes live for years or decades before flowering, which occurs after a minimum size is reached.