Atriplex spp.
saltbushes
Overview
Atriplex spp. is a genus of about 250 species of annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), distributed across arid, semi-arid, coastal, and saline habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Known collectively as saltbushes and oraches, these plants are halophytes that tolerate salty, alkaline, and dry soils where few other plants grow. They range from low annual herbs 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall to woody shrubs 3-10 feet (0.9-3 m) tall and as wide. The leaves are often grey to silvery and mealy, coated in tiny bladder-like hairs that store salt and reflect sunlight, though some species, such as the edible orache A. hortensis, have green or red foliage. Flowers are small, greenish, and without petals, with male and female flowers usually separate on the same or different plants; the seeds are enclosed in a pair of enlarging bracts that may be winged. Several species, including four-wing saltbush (A. canescens), are grown for livestock forage, windbreaks, erosion control, and reclamation of saline and mined land. A. hortensis is grown as a leafy vegetable. Many species accumulate salt in their tissues. Growth is sparse and open in the poorest, driest soils.
Native Range
Atriplex spp. species are native across temperate and subtropical arid and coastal regions worldwide, including western North America, the Mediterranean, central Asia, Australia, and South America. Centers of diversity lie in the dry interior of Australia, western North America, and central Asia.Suggested Uses
Atriplex spp. shrubs are used for windbreaks, hedging, erosion control, and reclamation of saline, alkaline, and disturbed land in dry and coastal regions, spaced 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) apart. The grey foliage is grown in xeriscape and coastal gardens. A. hortensis is grown in vegetable gardens as a spinach-like leaf crop in green and red forms.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 10'
Width/Spread1' - 10'
Bloom Information
Atriplex spp. flowers in summer and into autumn, generally June to October, producing small greenish flowers without petals. Wind carries the pollen, and the seeds ripen within their paired bracts through autumn. The grey to silver foliage persists from spring until frost, or year-round in the evergreen shrubby species.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
grey-green to silver, some green or redGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight