The primary vegetation in the Great Basin consists of desert scrub and sagebrush, typical of dry, arid environments.

The Great Basin's climate and soil conditions support vegetation like sagebrush, a hardy shrub that thrives in dry, nutrient-poor soils. The region also hosts other desert shrubs, grasses, and some drought-resistant plants, forming a desert scrub ecosystem. While coniferous forests can be found at higher elevations, especially in the Sierra Nevada and Wasatch Mountain ranges, the dominant vegetation at lower altitudes consists of sagebrush and other desert-adapted plants. This type of vegetation is well-suited to the region's low rainfall and extreme temperature variations.