While Fendler's cactus is found in this area, it is not nearly as common as some other species of echinocereus. It is much more common to our southeast near and in the Big Bend Park. It is a plant of rocky, well-drained hillsides. It sometimes grows as an individual plant but also may form clumps of several plants.

If you look closely at the spines on this plant you will note that the central spine on each aereole is much longer than the surrounding spines.