Broadly defined, this species is widespread across temperate North America. In Ky. native plants are generally restricted to the banks of rivers and sloughs with some degree of opening. Uncertain records mapped here as open dots may result from plantings; undoubtedly cultivated or escaped plants are excluded, but details of contexts are sometimes missing from reported data (Clark & Weckman 2008). Beyond its native habitat, this species was already "common in cultivation" a century ago (Gm), and it is still being widely planted. It is much used around artifical ponds, on old mines and at similar sites where soil stabilization is needed. It is also promoted for the attractive flowers, which draw many pollinators. However, the seeds are probably toxic due to rotenoid content. [Panicum virgatum has a somewhat similar history in cultivation.] Segregates of fruticosa have not been recognized in recent treatments but deserve further study (Sm, F, St). Most colls. from Ky. have relatively numerous and narrow leaflets, more or less matching the southern var. tennesseensis (Shuttl. ex Kuntze) Palmer. Some of the colls. from MCRE and PULA (KY) match var. fruticosa, which is widely reported but perhaps centered in eastern and northern states. See also notes on A. croceolanata and A. nitens. The fruticosa complex may all be tetraploid (2n = 40), but it is possible that polyploidy has occurred more than once, from distinct hybrid combinations of diploid taxa (Straub & Doyle 2014).