[2] The succulent is found growing in the Palos Verdes Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast in Los Angeles County; on several of the Channel Islands in California; and on Guadalupe Island off the northwestern Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.

The division stems from the fact that the current groupings of the Dudleya virens subspecies are polyphyletic as opposed to monophyletic.

[16] The overall evolutionary history of Dudleya virens has been difficult to pin down[17] which has contributed to the confusion surrounding the clarification of the subspecies.

[19] The succulent is also threatened by invasive grazing animal species that were introduced during the colonization of the Americas.

insularis, to be ranked a 1B.2 in terms of rarity (rare, threatened, or endangered) by the state of California.

[20] Through consorted conservation efforts, Dudleya virens has been able to make a considerable ecological come back from its previously concerning status.

[4] One of the major factors in their successful rehabilitation has been the removal of invasive grazing species: rabbits, horse, and pigs that were introduced during the colonization of California.

[4] The other major factor is that California passed a bill that makes poaching Dudleya virens with an intent to sell a fineable offense[19][20].

The removal of these invasive grazers and the crack down of succulent poaching[19][4][20] has created the conditions necessary for Dudleya virens to recover across the Channel Islands[4].