It is native to sandy areas in the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, associated with creosote-bush and coastal-sage scrub habitats.

[4] Abronia villosa is a short, hairy annual wildflower[4] which grows in creeping prostrate masses along the ground.

It has oval-shaped dull green leaves and many peduncles bearing rounded inflorescences of bright magenta or purplish-pink flowers.

[citation needed] As of December 2024[update], the conservation group NatureServe listed Abronia villlosa as Secure (G5) worldwide.

[1] The rotenoids abronione and boeravinone C, and the terpenoid lupeol can be found in A.