prairie shrub

Fourwing Saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Native to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern Canada

North Dakota to Alberta and eastern Washington, south to Texas, Arizona and Baja California

In the garden

A prairie shrub for partial shade and lean, dry soil. At up to 8 ft, it needs room in meadows and sunny borders. Hardy in USDA zones 3–10.

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Find your zone:

Birds Brown-headed Cowbird

also Verdin, Black-throated Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow +3 more
Bell's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, California Towhee
Butterflies Gray Hairstreak also Orange Sulphur, Western Pygmy-Blue, Great Purple Hairstreak
Beetles Seven-spotted Lady Beetle also Convergent Lady Beetle, Gyascutus planicosta
Also visited by
- Bees:
  
  Angeles Striped Sweat Bee, Western Honey Bee +3 more
  Lasioglossum clematisellum, Perdita florissantella, Parosela Long-horned Bee
- Flower flies: Large-tailed Aphideater

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Habitat: PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern CanadaUnited States (17): AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY. Canada (1): AB. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: North Dakota to Alberta and eastern Washington, south to Texas, Arizona and Baja CaliforniaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Light: Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 3–10 · Canadian 3–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Alkaline, well-drained soils. Saline tolerant, Caliche type, Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam Clay Loam Clay CalcareousThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.6–9.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: HighHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Height: up to 8 ft (to 2.4 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~6 ft (1.8 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: Semi-ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 20+ in (51+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Apr–OctWhen it flowers.
Flower color: YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–DecThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: HighHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: SlowWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.