It is native to North America where its distribution spans northern Canada and the high mountains of the western United States.

[1][2] It grows at high-latitude and high-elevation habitat, including the Arctic and in alpine climates.

depressum, is endemic to Washington in the United States, where it is limited to the Wenatchee Mountains.

[2] The plants' flowers are similar in appearance to those of species in the Potentilla (or cinquefoil) genus.

Geum rossii has less flowers per stem and leaves which are somewhat fernlike.