Fourwing Saltbush

Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens) is native to the driest parts of Utah, especially sand dunes, this rugged shrub brings structure, movement, and soft silvery color to any low-water landscape. If you're gardening in hot, dry conditions and need something that can take it all—sun, wind, salty soil, even deer—Fourwing Saltbush is hard to beat. 

What makes it especially useful is its versatility. It grows quickly, is a solid slope stabilizer, and makes a great backdrop for wildflowers. Its pale foliage brightens up desert palettes, and those unusual four-winged seeds add late-season interest. Plus, pollinators appreciate the subtle flowers, and wildlife will use it for cover. In late summer, the plant takes on a golden-tan hue as its papery, winged, cornflake-shaped seeds rustle at the tips of every stem.

Fourwing Saltbush is far from a traditional ornamental shrub—but it’s the kind of plant that quietly holds a Utah native plant landscape together.