Plants mostly 5-10 × 5-16 dm. Leaves 7 or more on first flowering branch of current growth, subopposite proximally, alternate distally; petiole 1-5 mm; blade orbiculate to elliptic or oblanceolate, 20-35 × (7-)10-20 mm, margin entire, apex retuse to obtuse. Staminate flowers yellow, in panicles mainly 5-15 cm. Pistillate flowers in panicles 15-30 cm. Fruiting bracteoles sessile or on stipes to 3 mm, body 4-winged, 6-10 mm and wide, wings lateral, 2-4 mm wide, dentate, apical tooth 0.8-1.5 mm.

Flowering summer-fall. Sandstone or limestone rimrock; 900-1200 m; Ariz.

Atriplex gardneri var. navahoensis occurs in communities with ephedra, four-wing saltbush, shadscale, Indian rice-grass, and galleta.