Spiny saltbush facts for kids

Atriplex spinifera is a type of plant called a saltbush. People often call it the spiny saltbush or spinescale saltbush. This plant is special because it only grows in California. It loves dry places with salty soil, like salt flats. You can find it in areas like the Mojave Desert, the southern Transverse Ranges, and the Central Valley. It's known as a halophyte, which means it can grow well in very salty conditions.

What It Looks Like

The spiny saltbush is a shrub that looks grayish or whitish. It has stiff, upright branches that can grow up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. These branches are tangled and have sharp, spiny points at their tips. Its leaves are oval-shaped and are usually smaller than 3 centimeters (about 1 inch) long.

How It Reproduces

This plant is dioecious. This means that each plant is either male or female. Male plants have small groups of flowers that grow where the leaves meet the stem. Female plants have single flowers or small groups of flowers. These female flowers are covered by scaly bracts. As the fruit grows inside, these bracts become round.

Where It Lives

The spiny saltbush is found only in California. It prefers dry places with salty soil. You can see it growing in areas like the Mojave Desert. It also lives in the southern Transverse Ranges and the Central Valley. It can also be found in the mountain ranges nearby.