This tall annual or biennial is widespread in submesic woodlands, thickets and edges from northeastern to northern Pacific states, but absent in the lower Ohio and lower Mississippi watersheds. Records of forma integrifolia (Torr. & Gray) Fern. are included here. L. biennis often reaches 3 m in height, and one was 4.92 m at the garden of Dave Svetich (FAYE) in Nov 2013; this record was beaten 2 years later, with 5.49 m. As a record for maximum height of herbaceous plants in Ky., this challenges Ambrosia trifida; see notes under that species.