Wedgeleaf saltbush facts for kids

Atriplex truncata, also called wedgeleaf saltbush, wedgescale, or wedge orach, is a type of saltbush. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada all the way south to California and New Mexico in the United States.

This saltbush likes to grow in different places, from cool mountain areas to hot deserts. It especially loves salty soils, like those found in dry lake beds.

Discovering Wedgeleaf Saltbush

The wedgeleaf saltbush is a plant that lives for only one year. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within a single year. It has stems that stand up straight and can grow taller than 70 centimeters (about 2.3 feet).

What Does It Look Like?

The leaves of Atriplex truncata are usually 1 to 4 centimeters long. They are shaped like a wedge, which is how the plant gets its common name, "wedgeleaf." The stems and leaves often look a bit scaly or dusty. This is because they are covered in tiny, salt-shedding hairs.

Flowers of the Saltbush

This plant has both male and female flowers on the same plant. These small flowers grow in clusters. You can find them where the leaves meet the stem, which is called the leaf axil. The flowers are tiny and not very showy.

Where Does Wedgeleaf Saltbush Grow?

Wedgeleaf saltbush is found across a wide area in western North America. It thrives in places with salty soil. This includes dry lake beds, salty flats, and other areas where the soil has a high salt content.

Its Natural Home

• Canada: You can find it in British Columbia.
• United States: It grows in states like California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
• Regions: It's common in the Great Basin, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the Mojave Desert.