Fourwing Saltbush
Atriplex canescens
Also listed as Calligonum canescens, Obione canescens
Also known as Nuttall's Saltbush, Chamiso
Climate Match for your location
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A drought-tolerant shrub with silvery-gray foliage and distinctive four-winged seeds, excellent for arid and semi-arid landscapes. Highly resilient to salt, heat, and poor soils.
Why grow it
Fourwing saltbush outperforms many native alternatives in severely degraded soils and areas with high salinity, making it useful where standard shrubs struggle. It establishes readily from seed and requires minimal supplemental water once established, comparable to other xeric shrubs but with broader tolerance for alkaline and saline conditions. The species also provides reliable browse for livestock and wildlife across much of the interior West.
Watch out for
Growth tends to be slower in the first two years, so initial establishment requires patience and some attention to competing vegetation. The plant can become sparse and woody with age if not periodically rejuvenated through light pruning or managed grazing, particularly in wetter climates where it grows more densely.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Southwestern United States and Mexico
Native to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
A drought-tolerant shrub with silvery-gray foliage and distinctive four-winged seeds, excellent for arid and semi-arid landscapes. Highly resilient to salt, heat, and poor soils.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Fourwing Saltbush grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Fourwing saltbush outperforms many native alternatives in severely degraded soils and areas with high salinity, making it useful where standard shrubs struggle. It establishes readily from seed and requires minimal supplemental water once established, comparable to other xeric shrubs but with broader tolerance for alkaline and saline conditions. The species also provides reliable browse for livestock and wildlife across much of the interior West.
Watch out for
Growth tends to be slower in the first two years, so initial establishment requires patience and some attention to competing vegetation. The plant can become sparse and woody with age if not periodically rejuvenated through light pruning or managed grazing, particularly in wetter climates where it grows more densely.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Southwestern United States and Mexico
Native to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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