It is native to the region of the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States, where there are eleven known populations remaining.

[5] The stems grow 20 centimeters to half a meter (8-20 inches) tall and produces bright yellow flowers in the summer months.

[6] Geum radiatum grows on a few tall mountaintops above 1310 meters (4367 feet) elevation in the southern Appalachians in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

[4][6] Other plants in the habitat include Solidago spithamaea,[5] Kalmia buxifolia, Menziesia pilosa, Rhododendron catawbiense, Heuchera villosa, Micranthes petiolaris, and species of asters, sedges, and grasses.

[4] Threats to the remaining populations include erosion, soil compaction from trampling, and development of facilities for recreation, such as trails, ski slopes, parking lots, and bridges.