S. vermiculatus was described from specimens collected in 1806 by the Lewis and Clark Expedition's westward exploration of North America.

[4] The Sarcobatus area of distribution is western North America, from southeastern British Columbia and southwest Alberta, Canada south through the drier regions of the United States (east to North Dakota and west Texas, west to central Washington and eastern California) to northern Mexico (Coahuila).

Both Sarcobatus species are halophytes, usually found in sunny, flat areas around the margins of playas and in dry stream beds and arroyos.

While it tolerates salty soil (storing absorbed salt in the roots and leaves),[3], in the southwestern part of its range it is replaced by iodine bush in extremely saline environments, such as hummocks within the playa itself.

The family name Sarcobataceae was published in 1997, and is not recognized by the Flora of North America, which however lists it as a "discordant lineage" within the larger group of Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae.