Fourwing Saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Fourwing Saltbush Facts

Mature Height: 4-8 feet
Mature Spread: 4-8 feet
Mature Form: Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate to rapid
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Type: Widely adaptable
Soil Moisture: Well drained
Flower Color: Light yellowish green
Foliage Color: Greenish gray
Fall Color: Greenish gray

Zones: 3 - 7

Fourwing Saltbush is a shrub native to the western U.S. It is deep-rooted, making it well suited for erosion control and re-vegetation. It has good fire-retardant characteristics. It provides excellent browse for deer, bighorn sheep, antelope, and elk. It is also a food source and excellent cover for upland birds, rabbits, songbirds, and small mammals. Its s lender, dense leaves are covered with a gray, mealy coating. Plants are male or female, and female plants fruit heavily, each fruit enclosed by bracts that form four wings. Though Fourwing Saltbush is dormant during the winter, it retains its leaves, giving it an attractive appearance. Fourwing Saltbush may be clipped to form hedges in landscapes.