Frankenia salina
Alkali heath
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Frankeniaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Frankenia salina (Alkali heath) is a native California subshrub in the Frankeniaceae family, recognized by . Key features: largest mats <3m diam, broadest leaves 1-6mm wide, weakly rolled margins, largest flowers 6-14mm petals, typically 3 styles.
Alkali heath is a California native shrub found in the Great Valley, Central Coast, Southern Coast, Channel Islands, Southeastern Sierra Nevada, and Mojave Desert regions in salt marshes and alkali flats at elevations below 750 meters. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces white to pink or blue-purple flowers 6 to 14 millimeters long. Growing as a matted subshrub up to 3 meters in diameter with prostrate stems 10 to 60 centimeters long, it spreads in low, dense clusters. Its leathery leaves are small and narrow, measuring 4 to 15 millimeters long and 1 to 6 millimeters wide, with margins weakly rolled under. The fruit is 3 to 5 millimeters long, containing 1 to 20 small ellipsoid seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species. Key features: largest mats <3m diam, broadest leaves 1-6mm wide, weakly rolled margins, largest flowers 6-14mm petals, typically 3 styles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Salt marshes, alkali flats
Elevation: < 750 m
California counties: Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Riverside, San Mateo, Alameda, Fresno, Tulare, Santa Cruz, Marin, Colusa, Monterey, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Solano, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Inyo, San Diego, San Bernardino, Merced, Yolo, Sonoma, Kings, Sacramento, Glenn, Butte, San Francisco, Madera, Napa, San Benito, Mendocino, Sutter
Outside California: to Nevada, Mexico, South America
Bloom period
Frankenia salina blooms Apr-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Suaeda: Frankenia has flowers with visible petals; seablite has tiny flowers without petals, only sepals.; vs Batis: Frankenia has individual flowers with petals; saltwort has flowers in cone-like spikes without petals.; vs Eriogonum: Frankenia has fused sepals and 4-7 stamens; buckwheat has papery bracts below flowers and 9 stamens.; vs Atriplex: Frankenia has showy flowers with pink-white petals; saltbush has tiny green flowers without petals.; vs Sesuvium: Frankenia has thin non-succulent leaves; sea purslane has thick succulent leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Frankenia salina native to California?
Yes. Frankenia salina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Frankenia salina bloom?
Frankenia salina blooms Apr-Sep.
Where in California does Frankenia salina grow?
Frankenia salina occurs in Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Riverside, San Mateo, Alameda, Fresno, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 750 m.
What plant family does Frankenia salina belong to?
Frankenia salina is in the Frankeniaceae family, genus Frankenia.
What habitat does Frankenia salina grow in?
Frankenia salina grows in Salt marshes, alkali flats.
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.