Practical
Plants

Atriplex argentea expansa

Silverscale Saltbush

an annual member of the Atriplex genus in the family Chenopodiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

No member of this genus contains any toxins, all have more or less edible leaves. However, if grown with artificial fertilizers, they may concentrate harmful amounts of nitrates in their leaves.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked, or boiled with other foods as a flavouring[1]. The water that the leaves have been cooked in can also be used as a flavouring[1]. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups etc, or be mixed with flour when making bread etc[1][2].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
South-western N. America.
Habitat
Alkaline places[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow April/May in situ. Germination is usually rapid.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though it should be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil[3]. Most species in this genus tolerate saline and very alkaline soils[3].

References

  1. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  4. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

  5. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

    ↩

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