Atriplex canescens
Four-wing saltbush
(c) Bobby McCabe, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bobby McCabe · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Atriplex canescens (Four-wing saltbush) is a native California shrub in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Four-wing saltbush is a native shrub found in desert and interior valleys of California, typically growing in arid, open landscapes at elevations of 500 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in terminal clusters. Growing with multiple spreading to ascending branches 1 to 2.5 meters tall, the shrub forms a dense, rounded shape with distinctive white-scaled foliage. Its linear to oblanceolate leaves are densely covered in white scales, giving the plant a silvery-gray appearance. The fruit is characterized by distinctive four-winged bracts 4 to 25 millimeters long, with wings 3 to 6 millimeters wide that are entire or wavy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Kern, Orange, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Mono, San Benito, Merced, Butte, Santa Barbara, Lassen, Fresno, Tulare
How to tell it apart
vs Artemisia: Atriplex leaves have bead-like scales; Artemisia leaves are finely divided and aromatic when crushed.; vs Ambrosia: Atriplex has simple scaly leaves; Ambrosia has deeply lobed or divided leaves with coarse hairs.; vs Extriplex: Atriplex has 3-5 calyx lobes on male flowers and two seed colors; Extriplex has exactly 4 lobes and uniform dark seeds.; vs Chenopodium: Atriplex has bead-like bladder hairs and paired fruit bracts; Chenopodium has mealy powder and calyx-enclosed fruits.; vs Eriogonum: Atriplex has scaly leaves and paired fruit bracts; Eriogonum has smooth leaves and papery flower tubes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Atriplex canescens native to California?
Yes. Atriplex canescens is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Atriplex canescens grow?
Atriplex canescens occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Kern, Orange, San Luis Obispo, San Diego and other counties.
What plant family does Atriplex canescens belong to?
Atriplex canescens is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.