Atriplex semibaccata
Australian saltbush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Shrub · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Atriplex semibaccata (Australian saltbush) is a non-native California shrub in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by mat-forming perennial, fleshy reddish net-veined bracts, spreading habit.
Australian saltbush is a naturalized perennial herb found in California's Central Valley, Mojave Desert, and coastal regions in disturbed areas, scrub, and woodland habitats at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to December, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers with reddish-tinged fruit bracts. Growing as a spreading, mat-like subshrub up to 1 meter wide, it develops multiple stems that spread horizontally across the ground. Its leaves are oblong to oblanceolate, 8 to 35 millimeters long, with wavy edges and a scaly surface that gives the plant a distinctive grayish-green appearance. The plant produces small brown seeds and forms dense, low-growing patches in disturbed landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 54 sympatric species; mat-forming perennial, fleshy reddish net-veined bracts, spreading habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, scrub, woodland
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, Riverside, Kings, Alameda, Contra Costa, Imperial, Marin, Solano, Merced, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Monterey, Glenn, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Colusa, Fresno, Tulare, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Yolo
Outside California: to Utah, Texas, northern Mexico, native to Australia
Bloom period
Atriplex semibaccata blooms Apr-Dec.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
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 semibaccata native to California?
No. Atriplex semibaccata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Atriplex semibaccata bloom?
Atriplex semibaccata blooms Apr-Dec.
Where in California does Atriplex semibaccata grow?
Atriplex semibaccata occurs in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Ventura, Kern and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Atriplex semibaccata belong to?
Atriplex semibaccata is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
Is Atriplex semibaccata invasive in California?
Atriplex semibaccata is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
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.