Dudleya caespitosa is endemic to California, where it grows along the coastline in the southern half of the state. The leaves are fleshy, pale green, and cone-shaped to oblong, one or two centimeters wide and almost a centimeter thick. The stem is a caudex  c which grows erect up to about 20 centimeters in height before branching into the inflorence. Its color is variable, from green to red and yellow shades. At the top is a tall inflorescence which may hold 10 or 15 flowers on each of several branches. The flowers are bright yellow with pointed petals.