Atriplex saccaria
S.Watson
Amaranthaceae
Atriplex argentea cornuta (M.E.Jones) M.E.Jones
Atriplex asterocarpa Stutz, G.L.Chu & S.C.Sand.
Atriplex caput-medusae Eastw.
Atriplex cornuta M.E.Jones
Atriplex expansa cornuta (M.E.Jones) M.E.Jones
Atriplex saccaria caput-medusae (Eastw.) S.L.Welsh
Atriplex truncata saccaria (S.Watson) M.E.Jones
Obione saccaria (S.Watson) Ulbr.
Common Name: Sack Saltbush
General Information
Atriplex saccaria is an erect, annual plant with stems 5 - 40cm tall that are usually branched from the base - the plant gorming a rounded clump[
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
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 - Wyoming, south to Arizona and New Mexico
Habitat
Mat-atriplex, shadscale, greasewood, and pinyon-juniper communities, on fine-textured saline substrates; at elevations from 1,100 - 2,200 metres[
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 | 0.30 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.
].
Although normally monoecious, plants are sometimes dioecious.
Edible Uses
Leaves and young plants - cooked[
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.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
] and used as greens[
216- Title
- Ethnobotany of the Hopi
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whiting. A. F.
- Publisher
- North Arizona Society of Science and Art
- Year
- 1939
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very good guide the the plant uses of the N. American Hopi Indians.
,
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.
]. A salty flavour.
Seed - cooked. Used in piñole or ground into a meal and used as a thickener in making bread or mixed with flour in making bread.
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow mid spring in situ[
134- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rice. G. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
]. 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.
