It is native to shallow waters in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Florida, and is listed as a "near-threatened species" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The general colour is orange-brown, greenish-brown or greyish-brown, but the extremities of the lumps are often pale or white.

The growing edges of this coral bear both large and small corallites which is in contrast to the closely related Orbicella faveolata, which has regularly spaced corallites at its growing edges.

[4] Orbicella franksi is native to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, including Florida, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

[1] The major threats it faces include climate change, ocean acidification and destruction of its reef habitat.