Atriplex elegans
(Moq.) D.Dietr.
Amaranthaceae
Atriplex fasciculata S.Watson
Atriplex saltonensis Parish
Atriplex thornberi (M.E.Jones) Standl.
Obione elegans Moq.
Obione radiata Torr.
Common Name: Wheelscale Saltbush
Developing fruits
Photograph by: Pompilid
General Information
Atriplex elegans is an annual (occasionally perennial?) plant with ascending or procumbent stems that can be much-branched at the base or without branches; it grows 5 - 45cm tall[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Known Hazards
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.
Botanical References
71- Title
- A California Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Munz P.A. & Keck D.D.
- Publisher
- University of California Press; Los Angeles
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
South-western N. America - California, Nevada and Utah, south to northern Mexico and Texas.
Habitat
Saline creosote bush scrub, alkaline flats, valley grasslands and deserts; at elevations from 70 - 1,000 metres[
71- Title
- A California Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Munz P.A. & Keck D.D.
- Publisher
- University of California Press; Los Angeles
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.20 m |
| Pollinators | Wind |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Species in this genus generally succeed in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Most species in this genus tolerate saline and very alkaline soils[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked. They are boiled as a salty flavouring with other foods[
161- Title
- Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Yanovsky. E.
- Publisher
- U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
- Year
-
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
,
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Seed - used in piñole or ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups and stews, or mixed with cereal flours to enhance their nutritional value when making bread, biscuits, cakes etc. The seeds are about 1 - 1.5mm wide[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow mid spring in situ. Germination is usually rapid.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
