Native to the central Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States. Mostly found on calcareous soils and rocky locations
A low, multi-stemmed groundcover, stems are fine and flexible, slow growing evergreen, 12" tall, spreading to 3' or 4' or more
Opposite, simple, evergreen leaves, 0.25" to 1" long and less than 0.2" wide, lustrous dark green color, petioles are short; leaves crowded on stem, leaf margins are coarsely serrate, mostly above the middle.
Another name is Rat Stripper because rats pick off the stems to use in their nests.