Shadscale saltbush
Atriplex confertifolia
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
12"–36" H × 24"–48" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
AZ, CA, CO, ID and 8 more states
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaA dense, spiny, gray-branched shrub with small silvery-scaled leaves, forming low rounded mounds in arid alkaline flats. Its wind-pollinated flowers are inconspicuous.
Wildlife value
Seeds and foliage provide important browse for wildlife in arid regions, and dense branching offers shelter for birds and small mammals.
Common questions
- How much sun does Shadscale saltbush need?
- Shadscale saltbush grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Shadscale saltbush bloom?
- Shadscale saltbush blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Shadscale saltbush native?
- Shadscale saltbush (Atriplex confertifolia) is native to AZ, CA, CO, ID and 8 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
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