Tolerates saline conditions and mowing. Central- and Southwestern regions, especially coastal areas, San Francisco Bay region, delta area of the Central Valley, Sonoran Desert. Central- and Southwestern regions, especially coastal areas, San Francisco Bay region, Channel Islands, Sonoran Desert. Pollination is required for apomictic seed development. Flower heads typically remain intact during this period.
Most seeds germinate late spring through early summer.
Reproduces vegetatively by creeping rhizomes and stolons and to a lesser extent, by seed. Rhizome and stolon fragments and seeds disperse with landscape maintenance and agricultural machinery, hand tools, soil movement, water, and other human activities. Seed producing types reproduce normally. Seeds may be long-lived under field conditions and can survive ingestion by sheep. Spikelets with bristles disperse in late spring with wind, water, human activities, and by clinging to animals.