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Atriplex semibaccata - R. Br.

Common Name Australian Saltbush. Australian saltbush, Creeping saltbush
Family Amaranthaceae
USDA hardiness 9-11
Known Hazards None Known
Habitats 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]. It grows best in coastal, light, well-drained soils. It suits an open sunny position. It is resistant to drought and frost.
Range Australia - Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territories
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Tender Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Atriplex semibaccata Australian Saltbush. Australian saltbush, Creeping saltbush


Forest & Kim Starr wikimedia.org
Atriplex semibaccata Australian Saltbush. Australian saltbush, Creeping saltbush
Forest & Kim Starr wikimedia.org

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Atriplex semibaccata is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Wind. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Atriplex denticulata Moq. Atriplex flagellaris Wooton & Standl. Atriplex neurivalvis Domin. Atriplex semibracteata Steud. Atriplex stuckertii Gand.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Leaves
Edible Uses:

Edible Portion: Fruit, Leaves. Fruit - raw[1093]. The fruit are eaten as a snack. They are added to salads. The young leaves are eaten raw or steamed. They are often boiled to remove excess salt.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Fodder

Agroforestry Uses: The plant is used as a groundcover in arid areas and also for erosion control of vulnerable soils[1093 ]. In addition, it has been planted with the aim of restoring mine spoils, e.g. on saline gold mine wastes[1093 ]. High tolerance to salt, with a record of 15 Max dS/m; an excellent coloniser of salt scalds. Evergreen groundcover. In salt land pasture, it can provide supplement feed in summer and winter when other sources of paddock feed are less available. Carbon Farming - Fodder: bank.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Fodder: Bank  Management: Coppice  Management: Fodder  Minor Global Crop

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 ]. 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 ]. Grows best in a sunny position, though able to tolerate some shade in hot, sunny climates[1093 ]. 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 ]. Tolerant of strong, salt-laden winds[1093 ]. A deep-rooted plant, it is a very drought-tolerant species[1093 ]. 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 ]. 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 ]. Climate: warm temperate to tropical. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: minor global crop. Management: coppice, fodder.

Carbon Farming

  • Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
  • Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Management: Fodder  Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Minor Global Crop  These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant Propagation

It can be grown by seed or cuttings. 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 ]. 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 ]. 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 ]. 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 ]. 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 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Cachiyuyo, Morenita rastrera.

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Argentina, Australia*, Chile, Hawaii, Mexico, North America, Pacific, South America, Tasmania, USA.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Atriplex argenteaSilvery Orach, Silverscale saltbush, Stalked saltbushAnnual0.5 0-0  LMNM222
Atriplex argentea expansaSilverscale SaltbushAnnual0.6 -  LMNM20 
Atriplex californicaCalifornia Orach, California saltbushPerennial0.1 7-10  LMNDM30 
Atriplex canescensGrey Sage Brush, Fourwing saltbushShrub1.8 6-9  LMNDM413
Atriplex carnosaThickleaf OrachAnnual0.9 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex confertifoliaShadscale, Shadscale saltbushShrub1.8 6-9  LMNDM410
Atriplex coronataCrownscaleAnnual0.4 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex dimorphostegia Annual0.2 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex elegansWheelscale SaltbushAnnual0.2 0-0  LMNDM200
Atriplex glabriusculaScotland orache, Maritime saltbush, Frankton's saltbush, Northeastern saltbushAnnual0.3 0-0  LMNDM20 
Atriplex gmeliniiGmelin's saltbushAnnual0.5 0-0  LMNDM20 
Atriplex halimusSea Orach, SaltbushShrub2.0 7-10 MLMNDM513
Atriplex hastataHastate OrachAnnual0.8 0-0  LMNDM302
Atriplex hortensisOrach, Garden oracheAnnual1.8 5-9 FLMNM423
Atriplex lapathifolia Annual0.9 -  LMNDM30 
Atriplex lentiformisQuail Bush, Big saltbush, Quailbush,Shrub3.0 7-10  LMNDM312
Atriplex maximowiczianaMaximowicz's saltbushPerennial0.8 0-0  LMNDM20 
Atriplex mucronata Annual0.4 -  LMHNDM20 
Atriplex nummulariaGiant Saltbush, Bluegreen saltbushShrub3.5 7-10  LMNDM323
Atriplex nuttalliiNuttall's SaltbushShrub0.9 5-9  LMNDM400
Atriplex patulaSpreading Orach, Spear saltbushAnnual0.8 0-0  LMNM31 
Atriplex powelliiPowell's SaltweedAnnual1.5 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex saccariaSack SaltbushAnnual0.3 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex serenanaBractscale, Davidson's bractscaleAnnual3.0 7-10  LMNDM20 
Atriplex subcordata Annual0.5 -  LMNDM20 
Atriplex tataricaTatarian oracheAnnual1.5 0-0  LMNDM20 
Atriplex truncataWedgescale SaltbushAnnual0.9 7-10  LMNDM204

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

R. Br.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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