Four-Wing Saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Plant Type(s)	Shrub, perennial
Native to Arizona	Yes!
Water Needs	Low
Sun	Full sun, partial shade
Has Spines	No
Size In relative feet, width by height	8 × 6
Flowering Season	February-August
Flower Color	Green
Minimum Temperature Range	10-15 °F
Leaf Description	Oblong, light green with a dusting of waxy scruff.
Fruit	Small, papery, 4-winged; remains on the shrub.
Longevity In years	20
View on SEINet	View SEINet Entry
Range Map	View SEINet Range Map
Elevation Range	300-6500 ft.
Description	A common, somewhat nondescript shrub with attractive silvery-grey foliage . This plant tolerates a variety of environmental conditions and is a good species to populate disturbed areas with poor soils. Due to its evergreen (eversilver in this case) nature, saltbush can be used as a hedging shrub, or blended into a landscape with mesquite (Prosopis velutina), Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides), globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla), and native grasses. This is considered a great plant for attracting quail who eat the seeds. Four-wing Saltbush plants are mostly dioecious, meaning each plant has either male or female flowers, not both. Only the female plants will produce seeds, and only if there are male plants also present in the population.