Widespread colonization by invasive species often obscures their underlying niche requirements. A robust inference into habitat requirements demands direct measures of invasive species performance linked with associated environmental conditions. In the context of general ecological theory, we investigated the niche requirements of Microstegium vimineum, an invasive grass in the U.S. that overruns native vegetation in forest understories. We examined M. vimineum’s performance and reproduction as a function of environmental drivers across forested and unforested habitats along a 100-km regional and climatic gradient in the southeastern U.S. from the southern Appalachian Mountains to the Georgia piedmont. We then measured M. vimineum performance and reproduction in response to direct environmental drivers (diffuse light, litter cover, soil moisture, herbaceous cover, soil pH, clay content and temperature) in paired invaded and uninvaded plots. Lastly, we experimentally investigated recruitment in the context of experimental and natural disturbances. We find that all habitats are not equally suitable for M. vimineum—even those within which it occurs—and that the environmental conditions associated with roadsides and waterways are most suitable for M. vimineum persistence and spread. Microstegium vimineum’s soil moisture, light and leaf litter requirements may delineate the boundaries of suitable habitat for the exotic invader. Significant decreases in M. vimineum recruitment, performance and reproduction along these environmental gradients suggest its potential niche limitations. Nevertheless, we also find significant dispersal limits on M. vimineum populations not subject to conspicuous overland water flow. We discuss our findings in the context of spread, impact and management of invasive species.