It lives in the cool, moist high elevations of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire.

[3][5] Subularia monticola forms cushions or mats in moist areas in upland rainforests and moorland, such as the edges of ponds and bogs, or muddy footpaths,[3][6] though it may grow underwater in some cases.

[6] Subularia monticola is an African high-altitude plant, growing at altitudes of around 2,750 to 4,750 meters (9,000 to 15,600 feet) above sea-level.

[3] Some examples will serve to demonstrate the range of environments in which it thrives: On Mount Kilimanjaro, which is mostly arid, Subularia monticola grows in oases made by rain or melted snow collecting in depressions, where it forms continuous carpets of vegetation alongside Eriocaulon volkensii, Cyperaceae and Bulliarda elatinoides.

[7] On Mount Kenya, cracks formed by daily freezing and thawing of ice provide a refuge for Subularia monticola seedlings.