Atriplex argentea var. expansa

Mojave silverscale

Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: annual · Native

Mojave silverscale is a California native annual found in the Central Valley, central Coast, eastern San Francisco Bay, southwestern California, and desert regions in saline soils at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces small, pale silvery flowers on branching stems. Growing with erect stems 30 to 80 centimeters tall and ascending branches, it develops a distinctive form adapted to salty environments. Its leaves are generally curled toward the stem, with blade-like structures 7 to 40 millimeters long, ranging from lanceolate to ovate, with entire or wavy margins. The lower leaves are opposite and petioled, while upper leaves are sessile, creating a characteristic architectural structure.

Habitat: Saline soils

Bloom period: Jul-Nov

Elevation: < 1500 m

Bioregions: GV, CCo, e SnFrB, SW, D

California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Kings, Ventura, Kern, Merced, Yolo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Colusa, Madera, Solano, San Joaquin, Fresno, Glenn, Sutter, Contra Costa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.