The plant is endemic to the southwestern United States, where it occurs in California, Arizona, southern Nevada, and Utah.

It does not tolerate large amounts of water, especially in the summer, and it favors areas that have an annual precipitation around 10 inches.

It is tolerant of fire, layering and resprouting easily after its aboveground parts burn.

Purshia glandulosa is an evergreen shrub growing up to 4.5 metres (15 ft) tall, but often remaining smaller depending on environmental conditions.

[3] Named varieties of the species include: The Navajo, Klamath, Paiute, Shoshoni, and other Native American tribes used it as a traditional medicinal plant.