Ground pine is rare in northwestern Montana. It is at the southern periphery of its range in this area. Williams, T. Y. 1990. The distribution of ground pine is circumpolar and transcontinental in boreal North America.
Ground pine occurs in cool, boreal forests.
It has not been listed as a community dominant. Clubmosses can make attractive ground covers, but they do not transplant well. Many Lycopodium species have been collected for commercial purposes and are subsequently becoming rare. In general, if temperatures become warmer and the forest becomes drier, this species would be expected to decrease. Ground pine is a native, perennial, evergreen clubmoss.