A common shrub in the understory of Pinus, Quercus, and Abies forests from the mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico, southward to Chiapas and northern Guatemala; at elevations from 1,800-3,200 metres.
It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It often grows in pine forests. It grows between 1,800-3,200 m above sea level. It can grow in shade.