The orange flame pincushion has a very limited range on the northern foothills of the Langeberg, where it can be found between Muiskraal and Brandrivier, in a narrow strip of arid fynbos bordering the Little Karoo and an isolated population at Warmbad, situated on the Warmwaterberg. The plants grow on gravel flats or rocky hillets of weathered Table Mountain Sandstone, at altitudes between . In these locations, the annual precipitation is 250-375 mm (10-15 in), which mainly falls during the winter.