It is native to Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and the Russian Far East (Sakhalin and Primorye).

[3][4] T. orientalis is a wetland plant that grows on the edges of ponds, lakes, salt marshes, and slow flowing rivers and streams.

The rhizomes were cooked and eaten, while the flowers were baked into cakes.

[6] The leaves were used for roofs and walls and occasionally for canoe sails,[7] as well as a material for making kites.

[8] Māori introduced the plant to the Chatham Islands.