This largely Southern Appalachian species of dry rocky woods and rocky riparian zones is known from banks of the Big South Fork in Tennessee. It has been discovered recently in Ky. by C. Mausert-Mooney (APSC) at the first open boulder-cobble bar north of the state line, downstream from mouth of Difficulty Creek. The species is also occasionally cultivated, but much less so than F. gardenii L., which a smaller species (FNA 3): ca. 0.5-1 m tall (versus 1-6 m), with smaller inflorescences, smaller leaves, and 2n = 48 (versus 72). F. gardenii occurs mostly on the Atlantic Coastal Plain; it is considered hardy for cultivation as far north as Zone 5 (Chicago to Boston) but no self-seeding has been reported outside of its range. However, both species can spread with lateral root suckers.