It is common in the higher mountains of the Trans-Pecos region. Fendlerbush palatability is high for goats in New Mexico. Fendlerbush is grown as an ornamental. Facultative Seral Species Fendlerbush occurs in nearly all stages of succession. In Mesa Verde National Park, fendlerbush maximum cover and frequency was not reached until 80 years after a fire in a pinyon-juniper community.
Little information is available regarding fendlerbush fire ecology and adaptations.
Pinyon-juniper communities where fendlerbush is commonly found historically burned every 10 to 30 years, which favored dominance by grasses. However, for the last 70 years, heavy livestock grazing has reduced grass competition and fuel, and shrub cover has increased. On 23 grazed transects in desert shrub communities where fendlerbush occurs in the Guadelupe Mountains, New Mexico, shrubs had only 6.4 to 6.6 percent cover. Information was not available regarding the immediate effects of fire on fendlerbush. Fendlerbush is probably top-killed or killed by most fires.