This shrub is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California, where it is known only from the vicinity of Morro Bay.

[3] The plant is found on less than 900 acres of coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitat, sometimes forming monotypic stands on hillsides.

[3] Arctostaphylos morroensis is a spreading shrub, reaching up to 4 meters in height but generally staying wider than tall.

The leaves are oval-shaped and slightly convex, dark green on the upper surface and duller gray-green beneath.

A. osoensis is also largely restricted to volcanic outcroppings associated with the Nine Sisters, but on occasion morroensis can also occur on this formation, so this alone is not sufficient to distinguish the species.