Fourwing saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Family:: Amaranthaceae
Elevation:: 3,000 ft – 7,000 ft
Bloom:: Jun – Aug
Region:: Southwest

A gray-green evergreen shrub named for the papery four-winged seeds that clothe the female plants into winter. One of the most salt- and drought-tolerant natives, thriving where little else will.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

None once established. Deeply drought and salt tolerant — a good choice for reclaimed or saline ground.

Sun & exposure

Full sun.

Soil

Tolerates saline, alkaline, and gypsum soils that poison most plants. Needs good drainage.

In the Southwest

Dioecious — only female plants make the showy seed wings. Important browse and wildlife cover. Because it accumulates salts, it can actually help detoxify saline garden soil over time. Shear lightly to keep dense.

Common problems & fixes

Largely trouble-free — a very tough, drought- and salt-tolerant shrub with few pests
Fix — Plant in full sun with sharp drainage and minimal irrigation; it needs almost no care.
Legginess or dieback from overwatering — too-frequent water causes root rot and floppy growth
Fix — Water deeply but infrequently and prune lightly in late winter to keep it dense.

Pets & toxicity

No known toxicity to pets.

Easy to confuse with

Shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia) — spiny, smaller
Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata) — fuzzy white seed heads

Sources

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