[3] It is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern quadrant of the United States as far north as Wyoming, where it grows in scrub and brush habitat in foothills and mountains, often in very rocky areas, sometimes anchoring itself in rock cracks and crevices.

In general it is a rounded, spreading shrub reaching a maximum height around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in).

The pointed oval or lance-shaped leaves are up to 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) long, green, and sometimes hairy.

The fragrant flower has four or five white or cream petals and a cluster of many stout stamens.

[4] This flowering shrub, Philadelphus microphyllus, is propagated and used as a drought-tolerant ornamental plant in its native range for: traditional gardens; natural landscape, native plant, drought tolerant water conserving, and habitat gardens; and various types of municipal, commercial, and agency sustainable landscape and restoration projects.