It is native to much of North America and inhabits prairies, plains, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

R. columnifera has medium green, hairy stems that branch occasionally, growing to 30–91 cm (1–3 ft) tall.

In the United States, it is native as far as Idaho to the west and north, Texas to the south, and Massachusetts to the east.

[11] Habitats include sunny sites with well-drained soil, such as upland prairies, pastures, roadsides, and open disturbed areas.

[13] The prairie coneflower requires dry to medium soil moisture and rarely has serious disease or pest problems.