Comments: Throughout the northern, northwest, and Great Plains portions of its range, Zigadenus elegans occurs in large populations in calcareous rocky areas and prairies. In the eastern midwest and eastern portion of its distribution, Zigadenus elegans is largely found in calcareous seeps and fens and cliff crevices.
Alberta occurrences have been recorded at 7330 ft, within an alpine meadow, and in a spruce forest (University of Minnesota Herbarium).
In regard to Zigadenus elegans in Alaska, a description by Porsild (1939a, 1939b) states that Zigadenus elegans is common in dry sandy areas on the interior mountains. In the Bering Sea region, Z. elegans appears to be restricted to unglaciated areas with elevations above 1000 feet. It is possible that two factors contribute to this: the volcanic soil is more likely to contain calcite and therefore be a more congenial soil than that of the acidic lowland tundra. Optimum temperatures could also be better for Zigadenus in higher altitudes during the arctic summer. Recent observations describe occurrences of Z. elegans on dry alpine and subalpine slopes, xeric river bluffs, and turfy patches on scree slopes. A few associated species are Populus tremuloides, Fetuca rubra, F. altaica, Poa gluaca, Potentilla hookeriana, Juniperus communis, and Rosa acicularis (Lipkin 1994).
Collections have been made in British Columbia from a woods at 2000 ft and from mountains slopes at 6000 and 4200 ft. (University of Minnesota Herbarium).
Colorado occurrences have been recorded in meadows at altitudes of 11,000 and 12,000 ft. (University of Minnesota Herbarium).
In Idaho, Zigadenus elegans commonly occurs in wet, calcareous areas between 5000 and 11,000 ft. It is often associated with sagebrush grass and sometimes occurs in Douglas fir and spruce communities. Other associated species are: Deschampsia cespitosa, Aquilegia spp., Carex nova, and Gentiana prostrata. Above 9500 ft., Z. elegans usually occurs in open meadow systems, open ledge communities, and sometimes alpine shattered rock areas (Mosely 1994).
Illinois populations are largely restricted to the northeast corner of the state where the plants are found in spring fed seeps within crevices on dolomite cliffs. In this community some associates are Eriophorum spp., Potentilla fruticosa, Primula mistassinica, and Solidago sciaphila. Historic records also place Zigadenus elegans in fens in northwestern Illinois but these populations have not been relocated (Schwegman 1994, IL NHD 1994).
In Indiana, the plant is found in moist limestone cliffs, wet meadows, and calcareous fens. Associate species in the prairie communities include Valeriana uliginosa, V. ciliata, Panicum leibergergii, P. boreale, Conioselinum chinense, and Cypripedium candidum (IN NHDC 1994).
In Iowa, the plant occurs infrequently in prairies within the northern third of the state (IA NAI 1994).
Populations of Zigadenus elegans in Michigan are found in dunes and sandy or rocky shores of the Great Lakes, on calcareous soils and banks, and in bogs and low ground (Voss 1972).
In Minnesota, this species occurs primarily in the western and southern parts of the state, coinciding with the prairie region (Ownbey and Morley 1991). Mostly found in calcareous fens and wet meadow communities, common associates include Calamagrostis sp., Carex sp., Phlox pilosa, Panicum virgatum, Sorghastrum nutans, solidago spp., and Andropogon gerardii (Chapman 1994, Smith 1994).
In Missouri, Zigadenus elegans is considered to be a relict species from the Pleistocene. It occurs mostly in soil pockets on north facing dolomite cliffs with seeps and crevices. Other relict species that are associated include Galium boreale, Berberis canadensis, and Campanula rotundifolia (Yatskievych 1994). Some general associates are Carex eburnea, Fraxinus americana, Cystopteris bulbifera, Hydrangea, Solidago drummondii, Augilegia sp., and Cypripedium reginae (MO NHD 1994).
In Montana, Zigadenus elegans occurs within variably sized montane meadows that are discontinuously scattered throughout the state (Heidel 1994).
In Nebraska, Zigadenus elegans was collected from a weedy, grassy area with sandy-clay soil. All occurrences in the state are historical (NE NHP 1994).
In New York Zigadenus elegans occurs in: grasslands on thin soil over limestone bedrock; a hard-packed stony ledge at the base of a slope, associated with Lythrum salicaria, Bromus ciliatus, Solidago juncea, Parnassia glauca, Equisetum hyemale, E. variegatum and Selayinella apoda; calcareous pavement barrens; rich graminoid fen and marl fen associated with Eleocharis rostellata, Scirpus cespitosus, Triglochin sp., Trifieldia sp., and Juniperus horizontalis; and moist limestone ledges associated with Campanula rotundifolia, Aquilegia canadensis, Thuja sp., Lonicera tatarica, and Cystopteris bulbifera (NY NHP 1992).
A New Mexico collection was made at 8600 ft. (University of Minnesota Herbarium).
The sole current record of Zigadenus elegans in North Carolina describes its habitat as "dolomite outcrops comprising very steep east-facing bluff... with numerous cracks, depressions, and ledges". Associated species are Asplenium resiliens, A. ruta-muraria, Cystopteris bulbifera, Bromus purgans, and Pellaea atropurpurea (NC HP 1994).
In eastern North Dakota Zigadenus elegans primarily occurs in short and tallgrass prairies in large populations associated with Lilium philadelphicum, Campanula rotundifolia, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, and Panicum virgatum. In the western portion of the state, the plant is often found on north facing slopes of mixed-grass prairie and occasionally in woody draws with Juniperus sp. and Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Lenz 1994).
In the North West Territories, Z. elegans has been collected from shallow residual soil on a limestone outcrop associated with Populus balsamifera, P. tremuloides, Potentilla fruticosa, Rosa sp., Ribes oxycanthoides, Aster alpinus, and Plantago septata (University of Minnesota Herbarium).
Ohio, like neighboring states, has Zigadenus elegans populations in two habitats types: seeps in limestone cliffs and wet, marly prairies and fens. Associates are Potentilla fruticosa and Carex sterilis (OH NHP 1992).
In Ontario, occurrences are recorded in two prairies designated as Provincially significant sites (ONT CDC 1993).
A collection for Z. elegans in Saskatchewan is from a mossy turf site along the edge of a lake in an open willow thicket adjacent to a Picea mariana woods (Argus 1968).
South Dakota populations are common in a variety of tallgrass prairies, all wet or mesic with calcareous soils, and mostly in low areas. Associated plants include Zizia aurea, Z. aptera, and Andropogon gerardii (Ode 1994).
A single extant population in Tennessee exists in a calcareous seep in a wet, shaly cliff along the shoreline of a lake (Pyne 1994).
In Texas this plant is restricted to "wet ledges and seepage in canyons of the Guadalupe Mountains." (Correll & Johnston 1970).
An historic record in Vermont places a population on a bluff in a rocky headlands along the shores of Lake Champlain (VT NNHP 1994).
In Virginia, this plant occurs in two extant populations: one on steep limestone slopes and the other in a dry dolomite woodland. Associated plants include Clematis coactilis, Echinacea laevigata, Paxistima canbyi, Carex eburnea, and Thuja occidentalis (VA DNH 1992)
In West Virginia, Zigadenus elegans is found in dry openings in woods on limestone substrate associated with Carex eburnea, C. pensylvanica, C. platyphylla, Poa compressa, Solidago harrisii, and Monarda fistulosa ssp. brevis (WV NHP 1994).