Salsola soda
Alkali russian thistle
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Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Salsola soda (Alkali russian thistle) is a non-native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by unique saline habitat and fleshy texture, wingless fruits.
Alkali russian thistle is a naturalized annual plant found in the Sacramento Valley at the Delevan Wildlife Refuge and northern California Coast Ranges near San Francisco Bay in saline or muddy flats, uppermost intertidal zones, and open salt marsh areas at elevations below 40 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces small translucent-margined flowers with fleshy sepals in delicate clusters. Growing 15 to 45 centimeters tall with a branched structure from near the base, it develops a distinctively fleshy and glabrous form. Its leaves are opposite at the base and alternate above, featuring widened bases with rigid, short, pointed tips and translucent margins. The plant produces small fruits three to six millimeters in diameter with minimal to no appendages.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; unique saline habitat and fleshy texture, wingless fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uppermost intertidal zone, saline or muddy flats, open areas in salt marshes
Elevation: < 40 m
California counties: Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, Colusa, Solano, Marin, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Plumas
Outside California: native to southern Europe
Bloom period
Salsola soda blooms Jul-Oct.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Suaeda: Salsola leaves taper to sharp spine tips; Suaeda leaves have soft rounded tips.; vs Amaranthus: Salsola has spine-tipped thread-like leaves; Amaranthus has broad soft leaves without spines.; vs Artemisia: Salsola has spine-tipped succulent leaves; Artemisia has soft, aromatic, often divided gray leaves.; vs Dittrichia: Salsola has spine-tipped cylindrical leaves; Dittrichia has soft sticky leaves and yellow daisy flowers.; vs Eriogonum: Salsola has spine-tipped thread-like leaves; Eriogonum has soft leaves clustered at base with woolly undersides.
Frequently asked questions
Is Salsola soda native to California?
No. Salsola soda is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Salsola soda bloom?
Salsola soda blooms Jul-Oct.
Where in California does Salsola soda grow?
Salsola soda occurs in Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo, Colusa, Solano, Marin, Santa Clara, Sonoma and other counties, at elevations of < 40 m.
What plant family does Salsola soda belong to?
Salsola soda is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Salsola.
Is Salsola soda invasive in California?
Salsola soda 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.