Bractscale facts for kids

Atriplex serenana is a type of plant often called bractscale or stinking orach. It's a special kind of plant known as a saltbush. This plant is native to places like California and Baja California. It loves to grow in soils that are salty or alkaline, like those found on dry, flat areas called alkali flats or near the ocean on beach bluffs.

Discovering Bractscale: A Salty Plant

The bractscale plant is an annual herb. This means it completes its whole life cycle in just one year. It grows low to the ground, forming a mat. Its stems can reach up to a meter (about 3 feet) long.

What Does Bractscale Look Like?

The stems of the bractscale plant are often scaly. Its leaves have small teeth along their edges. These leaves are usually 1 to 4 centimeters (about 0.4 to 1.6 inches) long.

The flowers of the bractscale are usually found in tight groups along the stem. Sometimes, you might see a spiky cluster of male flowers at the very end of the stem. This spiky cluster is called an inflorescence.

Different Kinds of Bractscale

There are two main types, or varieties, of Atriplex serenana.

• The rarer type is called Davidson's saltscale (var. davidsonii). This special variety only grows along the coast. You can find it in southern California and Baja California.