It grows right across the Himalaya mountains from Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal to western China.

Euphorbia royleana is a deciduous, cactus-like, shrub or small upright trees up to 2-5(-7) m high, which is armed with short prickles along its stems.

[3] The stems become leafless during hot and cold seasons and the leaves are alternate, apically clustered.

The leaf blade is fleshy oblanceolate, spathulate, or spoon-shaped 5-15 long, 1–4 cm wide and slightly succulent.

[3] Stipular spines are present in small in pairs on the edges on distinct shield, with broad flat faces between, 3–5 mm long.

Seed capsules are trigonous, 1-1.2 × 1-1.5 cm, light reddish brown, smooth and glabrous.

Several researchers have noted that Euphorbia royleana has been observed growing near rock face collection sites of the Ayurvedic resin shilajit in the Himalayas.