It is abundant wherever the soil crust has been disturbed, eg. along roads, river banks, dam margins and fences, or on severely overgrazed and trampled grazing land. It does not do well on regularly cultivated lands. Propagation is by means of seed only. The hairy plume makes it more suitable for wind dispersal but since the silky hairs are easily detachable, this method of seed dispersal is not very effective. Some seeds are distributed by flood waters, or they adhere to mud on vehicles, implements and animals.
Birds eat the seeds and also collect the silken tassels for their nests.
Birds, baboons and other animals spread the seed from open ground to the trees or bushes where they hide. Another method of dispersal is when seeds or fragments of the plant are gathered with the harvest and are then dispersed in bales of stock feed, hay or in grain crops. Seed remains viable for a long time. After germination seedlings grow slowly and are not very resistant to competition or shading by other plants. Indigenous to Europe including British Isles and Scandinavia, as well as Western Asia, but it has now spread to virtually all temperate zones of the world.