It thrives upon hot, dry, slopes and hillsides that also receive seasonal-(winters of the Southwest) or monsoon moisture.

As a cousin to the creosote bush, it has similar waxy leaves being an adaptation to desert temperatures.

The plant is open, and runnery, forms mounds up to 18 inches (5 dm) tall.

It is a ground cover upon rocks and hillsides, and can hide the actual surface beneath it.

The plant has opposite leaves, trifoliate with spinescent stipules, a pink corolla and smooth fruits.