Cadaba farinosa subsp. farinosa grows in Acacia - Commiphora bushland, semi-desert open bushland, riverine formations, and dry river beds on a wide range of soils at elevations up to 1500 m. It is the more widespread of the two subspecies in Somaliland and Somalia, growing in regions N1 and N2 of Somaliland, and N3, c, C2, and S1-S3 in Somalia. Its range extends to Arabia, Iran, and India.