It is native to western North America from California to Utah to Yukon, where it can be found in a number of habitats.

This is a coarsely hairy perennial herb growing one or more thick stems from a caudex.

The stem may branch or not and it reaches up to 90 centimeters in maximum height.

The leaves vary in shape from linear to arrowhead-like and may or may not have toothed edges.

The raceme inflorescence bears a number of flowers with spoon-shaped petals about a centimeter long in shades of purple or pink.