Genus: Atriplex
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Group/Duration: Dicot/Perennial
Location: Gardner's saltbush is found from Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada, south to Utah and Colorado and east to the Dakotas.
Size: The Gardeners saltbush is a low shrub 10-45cm tall with a prostrate, woody, much-branched base with erect leaves.
Growth: Saltbush initiates growth in spring. Gardner saltbush is found on plains, badlands, and in valleys, usually occupying sites that are harsh and arid with widely fluctuating temperatures and high winds. Soils are typically low in available phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.
Flowers: The Gardner’s saltbush will typically flower from July to August on an annual basis. The flowers are considered to be dioecious, which means that the flowers are either male or female but not both, and are pollinated by the wind. The plant does not self-fertilize. Flowers are yellow in glomerate, terminal, leafy-bracteated spikes. Pisillate flowers are in auxiliary and terminal spikes.
Other physical/chemical characteristics:
Leaves: Gardner’s saltbush has alternated, linear-oblong, stalk-less leaves. Leaves are 6 times as long as they are wide. Leaves are green-grey and scruffy.
Salt tolerance: This plant has varying salt tolerances depending on the ecotype. The plant will grow over an 80-fold range of salinity. The salt-tolerant ecotypes actually respond positively with to an application of pure salt.
Grazing Considerations: Saltbush is grazed upon by livestock, antelope, mule deer and rabbits. It develops its leaves earlier than most other plants and therefore is important early season forage. The saltbush also remains green throughout the summer and winter making it an important food source in wintertime. The Saltbush can also be eaten by humans and would normally be mixed with wheat or ground into a meal to be used in baking bread.