It grows in the eastern Mojave Desert and the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States (California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico) and northwestern Mexico (Baja California + Sonora).

[3][4][2][5] Eriophyllum lanosum is a small annual plant, rarely reaching a height of more than 10 cm (3.9 inches).

It has a white-woolly stem and moderately woolly leaves.

Each head has 8–10 ray florets, white with red veins.

These surround 10–20 tiny yellow disc florets.