It is native to western North America from Oregon south into Mexico, where it grows in oak woodland and similar habitat.

Its stems are lined with pairs of hairy, oval, oppositely arranged leaves up to about 5 centimeters long by 2.5 wide.

As a hemiparasite the mistletoe taps its host tree for water and nutrients but contains some chlorophyll and can photosynthesize some energy for itself as well.

The plant is dioecious, with male and female individuals producing different forms of inflorescence; both are rough, elongated clusters of tiny flowers.

Female flowers yield pale pink spherical or oval berries each 3 or 4 millimeters wide.