The distribution of Platismatia wheeleri was determined using the USDA Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis plots in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California and was compared to that of P. glauca on the same set of plots. Platismatia glauca inhabits a broad climatic niche, living in areas with 34 to 325 frost-free days and moderate to high May through September precipitation (100–425 mm). Platismatia wheeleri inhabits an ecotone between forested, mountainous regions and drier regions with open canopies. These plots, with 225 to 300 frost-free days, are on the warm end of the P. glauca habitat. The co-occurrence of these species on several plots and overlapping climate niches suggest either historic separation of populations that now co-occur; sympatric speciation; or a more complex pattern within this widely-distributed, variable species.