It is native to mountain areas in the western United States and northwestern Arizona, found mainly in the Great Basin and southward to the Mojave Desert, growing in dry, well draining soils.

The grey-green leaves are narrow and lanceolate, are tapered at the base and rounded at the tip generally without teeth or lobes.

They have an intense but pleasant, mildly intoxicating minty aroma, with the scent released when the foliage is handled or crushed.

The inflorescence is made up of spike-like clusters of numerous purple flowers that are bilaterally symmetric.

[9] Some chemical components found in Salvia dorrii include salvidorol and two epimeric abietane diterpenes.