Artemisia spinescens is a North American species of sagebrush in the sunflower family, known by the common name budsage.

[4] Many sources treat the species separately from genus Artemisia and named Picrothamnus desertorum.

[4] Artemisia spinescens is a squat shrub forming a rounded bush up to 30 to 50 centimeters in maximum height.

[4] The strongly aromatic foliage is made up of many small, fuzzy leaves divided into narrow, pointed segments.

[4] This plant is considered good forage for wild and domestic grazing animals early in the season when the foliage is new and soft.