Atriplex patula
Spear orach, Spear Orach
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Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Atriplex patula (Spear orach) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by coastal California, tall annual, green relatively unscaly leaves, angled stems.
Spear orach is a California native annual found in coastal and northern California regions including the North Coast, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and California Cascade Range in salt marshes and non-saline substrates at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces green flowers with distinctive ovate to diamond-shaped bracts. Growing with erect, angled stems 30 to 150 centimeters tall that branch from the base, it develops ascending to spreading branches. Its leaves vary from lanceolate to oblong, ranging from 15 to 80 millimeters long, with proximal leaves occasionally having a hastate shape and distal leaves becoming linear. The plant produces two kinds of seeds, one black and 1 to 2 millimeters long, the other brown and 2.5 to 3 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; coastal California, tall annual, green relatively unscaly leaves, angled stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Salt marshes or non-saline substrates
Elevation: < 1400 m
Outside California: Canada, to eastern North America, Eurasia, northern Africa
Bloom period
Atriplex patula blooms Jul-Nov.
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 patula native to California?
Yes. Atriplex patula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Atriplex patula bloom?
Atriplex patula blooms Jul-Nov.
What plant family does Atriplex patula belong to?
Atriplex patula is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
What habitat does Atriplex patula grow in?
Atriplex patula grows in Salt marshes or non-saline substrates.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.