Shade tolerant or partially shade tolerant. In forests with dense shade chiefly found in openings with higher light levels. Where it grows under a canopy, it develops poorly, is lower height, and fruits sparingly, if at all. Restricted to a successional role in dense, coniferous forest but could be part of a climax deciduous forest community. Can resprout from rhizomes or rootcrowns following fire.
Fire generally kills aboveground parts which resprout.
Sprouting can occur from dormant buds on the stems following a very light fire. If stem buds are killed in a higher severity fire, sprouting can occur from rhizome or rootcrown buds, depending on the variety. A very severe fire might expose and kill the rhizome or rootcrown and thus the plant. Fire also scarifies buried seed, and germination usually occurs the first growing season following the fire. All varieties can survive either by sprouting from rootcrowns or rhizomes, or by colonizing a site from seed stored in seed banks.