In its strict sense, this largely diploid species (2n = 20) is widespread in mesic to subxeric (or rarely xeric) woods of eastern North America; but see notes under commutatum. The "long, knotty, creeping, occasionally branched rhizomes" of Polygonatum species are much used for human food in East Asia (e.g. Wujisguleng et al. 2012). P. biflorum and its relatives are highly regarded as food by some wild food enthusiasts in Ky. (A. Ozinskas, pers. comm.), but there is little academically published record of ebibility in North America. Potential medicinal uses are also widely reported, but the complex chemistry of this genus has been much more researched in East Asia than North America; compounds include steroidal saponins, triterpenoid saponins, homoisoflavanones, polysaccharides and lectins (e.g. Zhao et al. 2018). The species can be greatly reduced by browsing of deer or cattle (e.g. Webster 2016).