Native:
Africa:
Macaronesia: Portugal - Madeira Islands; Spain - Canary Islands
Northern Africa: Algeria; Egypt; Libya; Morocco; Tunisia
Asia-Temperate:
Western Asia: Cyprus; Egypt - Sinai; Israel; Jordan; Lebanon; Syria; Turkey
Europe:
Southeastern Europe: Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Greece; Italy; Macedonia; Montenegro
Southwestern Europe: France; Portugal; Spain
This perennial plant is common throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Originally it was found mainly in dry riverbeds and abandoned fields up to a height of 1.500 m. Nowadays it is quite common in roadsides and ruderal habitats, even in urban areas. It is considered an invasive species in Australia.False yellowhead (Dittrichia viscosa) weed management guide The False Yellowhead is a tough plant, very resistant to adverse conditions and degraded environments. It is important as food for the caterpillars of certain butterflies and moths, like Ioana iolas. Listed as a perennial forb/herb or subshrub by USDA PLANTS, but as an annual herb by Calflora.