[8] Dolichousnea longissima is found in boreal forests and coastal woodland in Europe, Asia, and North America.

It ranges from Upper Midwest into Canada, the Great Lakes region, and extends to the coast of the Atlantic ocean.

[6][8] The species grows within the canopies of coniferous trees, primarily those found in old growth Douglas fir forests and near bodies of water.

Air pollution heavily affects the metabolic functions of the species, and as a result, populations have declined.

[10] It has been described in Chinese herbal medicine dating back to 500 A.D., where one of the names for the species translates to "pine gauze".