In wet ground or springy places along streams and ditches, about lakes, and in marshes and wet woods throughout the lake area of the state. South of this area it is rare or absent. The Joe-pye-weeds have been misunderstood, and all or most all of the reports should be ignored, because, as far as I know, none of our authors knew of the existence in our area of three species of this group or had keys which would separate them.