This weedy alien is widespread across temperate North America, except for arid regions. The species is a common colonizer of bare ground in mowed turf on eutrophic soils, then maturing and often dying in summer. It has probably been present in Ky. since early after settlement. Anderson (1924) listed a coll. of R. Peter from Lexington in 1834, noted "common" (at KY before fire). In Ky. it generally flowers early, during Mar-Apr, but some plants appear to survive through the summer, with stolons (D. Boone, pers. comm.). Although the species has been generally considered annual, there is much evidence of perennial behavior under some conditions (Carroll et al. 2022).