Four-wing saltbush
| Botanical Name | Atriplex canescens |
| Common Name | Four-wing saltbush |
| Family | Chenopodiaceae - Goosefoot |
| Description | This irregularly and densely branched, sometimes spiny shrub has grey-green, narrow, canoe-shaped, evergreen leaves. This native plant grows throughout New Mexico. The Latin word Canescens means ashy-grey color. |
| Mature Size | 2’ – 5’ |
| Bloom | In late summer its tiny, light yellow, densely clustered, female flowers produce large numbers of conspicuous four-winged, light green, papery bracts. Each of these bracts surrounds a tiny seed. The bracts dry to a pale brown. Male flowers are on separate plants. |
| Interesting Facts | Some scientists think of this plant as an indicator plant for ruins. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | Its mildly salty-tasting leaves have been eaten as greens or added to soups. Its parched seeds have been mixed with water and sweetener for a drink called pinole. The seeds were ground and cooked as a cereal or in bread. Saltbush ashes have been used to color food. It is used extensively and highly prized by Indians as forage for cattle, sheep and goats. The shrubby branches provide shade and shelter for birds, mice and other small animals. The branches were used for cooking and warming fuel. They were also used as tools and when sharpened, as tips for war arrows. Crushed flowers were used as hand soap and on ant bites. Plant parts were used for many medicinal purposes such as stomach pain, cough medicine and toothache. An infusion of its leaves and twigs was used as a yellow dye. |
 |
|
 |
Photos for SFBG by Janice Tucker
|
