[2] It is native to northern North America, where it occurs throughout the southern half of Canada and the western and central United States.

heliophila (sun sedge), is more widespread and is more common east of the Rocky Mountains.

On the prairies of the northern Great Plains it is codominant with grasses such as western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and other wheatgrasses, big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) and other bluestems, needle-and-thread grass (Hesperostipa comata) and other needlegrasses, and/or blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and other gramas.

It can be a dominant species in Rocky Mountain meadows, woodlands in Nebraska, the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, and the plains of Saskatchewan.

It is considered a good forage for livestock because it is one of the first green plants to appear in the spring and animals such as cattle find it palatable.