[2][3] The native range of Artemisia nova is from the Mojave Desert mountains in southern California and in the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, north to Oregon, Idaho and Montana, east to Wyoming and Colorado, and south to Arizona and northwestern New Mexico.

[2] Identification is sometimes difficult, because this species is similar in appearance to Little sagebrush, Artemisia arbuscula, and it easily hybridizes with Big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata, when it grows in the same area, leading to intermediate forms.

[5] Also, Artemisia nova has two main morphological forms, a darker, easily recognized form, and a less common light gray-green colored variant which closely resembles other sagebrush species.

[5][3] In general, Artemisia nova is a small, erect shrub producing upright stems branched off a central trunklike base.

[2][5][3] The inflorescence bears clusters of flower heads lined with shiny, oily, yellow-green phyllaries with transparent tips.