Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, preferring a moist but not wet soil and a sheltered sunny position or partial shade. Intolerant of heavy clay. A very ornamental plant, it is hardy to about -15°c. A short-lived species, often dying out after 2 - 3 years, though it usually produces seed prolifically. However, they are very apt to hybridize with other members of the genus and so it becomes difficult to keep a species true to type if more than one is grown in the garden. This species is closely related to A. canadensis and A. flavescens. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes.

Flowers - raw. Rich in nectar, they are sweet and delightful, they make a very attractive addition to mixed salads and can also be used as a thirst-quenching munch in the garden. Children enjoy sucking out the sweet nectar from the base of the flowers. Early spring greens cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Root - cooked. Used by the N. American Indians as a famine food. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can be slow to germinate. Stored seed can be sown in late winter in a cold frame. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring.

Widely distributed in many habitats from the coast to the coastal mountains. Moist woods and damp places in scrub and on banks from sea-level to 3000 metres.