It is native to the Florida Keys, The Bahamas, and the Caribbean including the Netherlands Antilles.

[2] The pink vase sponge is a demosponge that can grow up to 50 cm in height and width, but is more commonly smaller.

It is normally vase-, tube-, or cup-shaped with a narrow base and broader top, and somewhat flattened when viewed in cross section.

[3] Despite its name, the colour has been observed as blue, gray, and lavender, as well as "purplish to pink".

[3] Compounds extracted from the pink vase sponge have been investigated for their possible use in the treatment of castration recurrent prostate cancer.