It is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eastern North America where it is primarily found in the Midwest, Northeast, and Appalachian regions.

[2] Hydrophyllum virginianum is an herbaceous perennial that spreads by rhizomes to form large colonies in wooded areas.

Often the newer leaves are solid green with white spots appearing as they age and later disappearing in early summer.

The taxonomic status of these entities has been debated, with the most traditional treatments recognizing them at the varietal rank as Hydrophyllum virginianum var.

[2] However, specific status to these population (as Hydrophyllum atranthum) is given in the 2020 edition of Alan Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern United States.