[4] A tumbleweed,[4][5] it is a bunchgrass native to Asia and much of North America, and widely known elsewhere as an introduced species.

It occurs in most of the United States except parts of the Southeast and in most of Canada except for the farthest northern regions.

[6] It is resident in a great variety of habitats, from warm coastal valleys to the alpine climate of high mountain ranges.

[8] The tolerance of this grass to alpine climates makes it a good plant to use in revegetating disturbed land in such regions.

[7] It is known to spring up on sites where few other plants can grow, such as abandoned coal mines and soils polluted with sulfur, copper, and nickel.