Shrub · Amaranthaceae Draft — unreviewed
Four-wing saltbush
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.
Also called four-wing saltbush, chamizo.
Tough gray native shrub for saline, alkaline and disturbed desert soils. Provides cover and seed for quail and songbirds.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 1.2–1.8 m (4–6 ft) tall and 1.2–2.4 m (4–8 ft) wide; fast growth, about 4 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #3 install size.
Design notes
- Female plants carry papery four-winged seed clusters.
- Useful for informal screens and erosion control on dry slopes.
Regions
Native range: Arid western North America.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Fairy duster
Calliandra eriophylla · Shrub · 0.6–1 m (2–3 ft)
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis · Shrub · 1.8–3.6 m (6–12 ft)
Red twig dogwood
Cornus sericea · Shrub · 1.8–2.7 m (6–9 ft)
Texas mountain laurel
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum · Shrub · 3–4.5 m (10–15 ft)
Hop bush
Dodonaea viscosa · Shrub · 2.4–3.6 m (8–12 ft)
Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa · Shrub · 0.6–1 m (2–3 ft)
Plan with Four-wing saltbush
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.