This ranges widely over eastern states but it is restricted to woods on dry acid soils. In Ky. populations are usually thin despite an ability to spread with running roots (Y). The largely Appalachian I. medeoloides (Pursh) Raf., is known from adjacent counties of Ohio and Va. (K, PL). That species is globally rare but may be expected in Ky. on cooler or more mesic sites than verticillata, especially with Pinus strobus (W).