Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Four-wing Saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Other common name(s):

Chamiso, Wing-scale

Family:

Amaranthaceae (Amaranth Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Arid Llano Estacado, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains, Shinnery Sands
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

3
to
8
ft.

Spread

2
to
4
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Caliche, Dry, Gravelly, Limestone, Loam, Saline, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Desert, Shrubland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Browsers, Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Used for erosion control. Give lots of space, it likes to spread. Tolerant of saline conditions. Is recommended for its durability rather than its beauty, but foliage adds interesting color to a garden. If planting in a rabbit or deer area, plants will need to be caged until foliage reaches 3-4 ft. Plant readily hybridizes with other varieties of Saltbush. Native habitat: dry, barren flats, slopes, washes, desert scrub, pinon-juniper communities.

Description

Blooms March-November. A mound-shaped shrub. The branches and small, narrow leaves are covered with a dense, silvery hairs. Flowers are inconspicuous, male and female flowers on different plants: yellow for males and green-yellow for females, with showy pink bracts. Clusters of gold-tan, four-winged fruits, which occur on female plants only, are the most attractive feature. Laval host: San Emigdio Blue, Mohave Sootywing, Saltbush Sootywing.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Seeds must undergo a 10 month period of after-ripening. Gemination can increase by presoaking the fruits and then wringing the water and dissolved salts from the material. Sow in the spring. Collect seed in the winter, from November to February. Do not collect after rains, when the seed will be damp and tend to mold. Seed can be pulled directly from female plants into bags, or a tarp can be spread on the ground, seed dropped to tarp, and then emptied into bag. Look for masses of larger sized seeds on mature female plants. 1) https://npn.rngr.net/npn/renderNPNProtocolDetails?selectedProtocolIds=chenopodiaceae-atriplex-1393 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ATCA2
Seed Scarification, Stratification Both physical and physiological seed dormancy is common so both scarification and stratification are required for germination. Remove “wings” from seeds and plant 1.3cm (0.5in) deep in fine soil or 2cm (0.75in) deep if direct sowing outdoors in coarse or gravelly soils. Seeds should be planted when temperatures are around 15C (low 60sF) and given water to start the germination process. This usually occurs between 7-21 days after sowing. https://arboretum.arizona.edu/snyder-preserve-atriplex-canescens

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason