The natural range extends from south Vancouver Island to California. Satin flower sneaks through the Columbia River Gorge onto the sage lands east of the Cascade Mountains suggesting that it might be suitable for southern interior B.C. gardens. The species thrives in open settings, on south Vancouver Island, mainly in shallow mossy soil on rock knolls and meadows. In the US interior it occurs in sagebrush, pine and open oak woods. A critical feature of the habitat is wet spring soil, though the site can become totally baked in the summer.
Satin flower makes an excellent early spring garden subject for the sunny rock garden.
It will grow in light deciduous shade too in normal garden soil, so you can use it at the front of a shrub border. The plant settles in quickly but spreads slowly. Usually it blooms the first spring after planting. Satin flowers propagate easily from small rooted pieces of the matted crown. Once established they spread by seed.