As the stem decays, the two separate. Fruits often persist unopened, and seeds are released when the fruit rots. Air trapped in the testa makes the seed buoyant and capable of floating for days on water surfaces. Seeds may be carried some distance with snowmelt and flooding. Plants flower in their first summer and every year thereafter, generally from June to September.
Flowers open one per day, starting from the bottom of the inflorescence.
Seed dispersal begins in July and most seeds fall before winter. By seed, following cold stratification. Prefers moist, acidic soils in full sun. It needs full sun and a muddy, very acid soil rich in peat moss or sphagnum moss, with a pH of 4.0 to 5.0. Propagate additional plants by root division or from seeds.