Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, preferring a moist but not wet soil and a sunny position. Intolerant of heavy clay. A very ornamental plant, it is hardy to about -15°c. Most species are short-lived, dying out after 2 - 3 years, though they usually produce 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. 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.

Mesic woods or shrublands from sea level to about 3500 metres.