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Useful Temperate Plants

Atriplex semibaccata

R.Br.

Amaranthaceae

+ Synonyms

Atriplex denticulata Moq.

Atriplex flagellaris Wooton & Standl.

Atriplex neurivalvis Domin

Atriplex semibracteata Steud.

Atriplex stuckertii Gand.

Common Name: Australian Saltbush

Atriplex semibaccata
Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata

General Information

Atriplex semibaccata is a mostly evergreen perennial plant with decombent to prostrate stems that become more or less woody. The plant is multistemmed, growing from an often buried woody caudex; it grows 5 - 80cm tall and can spread 150cm or more 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.
]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, making good groundcover in arid areas, and is also used in restoration projects to reclaim and stabilize land.
Atriplex semibaccata has been introduced around the world as a drought and salt tolerant forage. It has escaped cultivation in southwestern N. America and, through its seed's ability to germinate more easily and freely than native species, is now invasive in coastal grasslands, scrub and saline area, where it can form a dense cover inhibiting the growth of native plants. The California Invasive Plant Council classifies its potential impact on native ecosystems as moderate[
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.
,
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Australia - Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territories

Habitat

Naturalized in southwest N. America, growing in saline waste places, along roads and sidewalks, in marshes, in various plant communities; at elevations from 10 - 1,000 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

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height0.50 m
PollinatorsWind
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Atriplex semibaccata is a plant of sub-tropical arid and semi-arid areas and appears to grow well also in Mediterranean winter rainfall areas. It can also tolerate warm temperate areas with rain all year round. It is most common in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 250 - 900mm[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is within the range 10 - 23°c, with the mean temperatures in the hottest month ranging from 27 - 36°c and in the coldest month from 0 - 10°c. It can tolerate an absolute minimum of -5°c[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
Grows best in a sunny position, though able to tolerate some shade in hot, sunny climates[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. The plant appears to grow in many soil types though preferring light and more acidic soils. However, this includes heavier clay loams and even those than are occasionally waterlogged, but are more generally light to medium clay loams (35-50% clay) or loams, sandy loams, or sandy clay loams[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. Tolerant of strong, salt-laden winds[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. A deep-rooted plant, it is a very drought-tolerant species[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
This species photosynthesizes by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
In New South Wales, Australia the plant was found to become dormant in winter whereas other Atriplex species remained green, though all species studied showed good adaptation notwithstanding the low and variable rainfall, wide range in temperature, humidity and evaporation and poor soils[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is used as a groundcover in arid areas and also for erosion control of vulnerable soils[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
In addition, it has been planted with the aim of restoring mine spoils, e.g. on saline gold mine wastes[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow mid spring in a cold frame in a compost of peat and sand. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 13°c[
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.
]. Pot up the seedlings when still small into individual pots, grow on in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts.
The plant produces large numbers of fruits and seed and like many other species of the genus, does not appear to exhibit any characteristics of dormancy, with high germination rates with no pre-treatment recorded[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
]. The seed germinates best at 21°c, while germination ratesmay be improved by soaking the seeds for several hours to dilute and flush chemicals that inhibit germination[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame. Very easy. Pot up as soon as they start to root (about 3 weeks) and plant out in their permanent positions late in the following spring[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, late autumn in a frame. Very easy. Pot up in early spring and plant out in their permanent position in early summer[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Atriplex+semibaccata>

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