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Atriplex semibaccata
Also called Berry Saltbush, Diamond Saltbush, Half Berry Saltbush, Creeping Saltbush
Australian saltbush is a low, mat-forming to semi-erect perennial shrub-like herb from a woody taproot, native to dry, saline parts of Australia. It thrives in harsh, dry, salty soils, and is also an invasive weed in many countries, so check local rules before planting.
Atriplex semibaccata, commonly known as Australian saltbush, berry saltbush, or creeping saltbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a perennial herb native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has been introduced into other states and to overseas countries. It flowers and fruits in spring, and propagates from seed when the fruit splits open. This species of saltbush is adapted to inconsistent rainfall, temperature and humidity extremes and to poor soil. It is used for rehabilitation, medicine, as a cover crop and for fodder. Its introduction to other countries has had an environmental and economic impact on them.
This species of saltbush is endemic to Australia and is native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has become naturalised in the Australian Capital Territory, on Norfolk Island and possibly Tasmania. It has also been introduced to North and South America, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. A. semibaccata was introduced to different regions worldwide as a drought and salt tolerant fodder crop. Similarly, A. semibaccata was introduced in Tasmania for grazing purposes. Located in heavy soil that is slightly saline, in woodland that is close to salt lakes, and is usually an invader of disturbed areas. First reported distribution was in California in 1901 as a livestock forage in alkaline regions. Seeds were soon after distributed (1916) and by 1940, A. semibaccata inhabited southern coast regions and irregularly inland. Optimal conditions for habitat, include dry/subtropical climate and direct sunlight.
The economic impact of A. semibaccata is positive in regions where it is not invasive. Benefits that have a positive economic effect include its value in rehabilitation, medicinal properties as well as food and cover cropper. The negative economic impact is generated by its invasiveness that endangers native species, causes a change in ecological and alters the surrounding biodiversity. This requires physical and chemical control processes that can be laborious and require economic expenditure. Control chemicals for A. semibaccata involve herbicides, such as dicamba, dicamba/MCPA amine, 2,4-D and picloram/2,4-D. To physically remove A. semibaccata, hand pulling is an effective method due to its small size. To physically control A. semibaccata, it must be uprooted prior to seed production. Site revision is required to remove plants arising from residual seed pools.
Tubercled saltbush · Swamp Saltbush · Fan Saltbush · Silverscale saltbush · Native Orache · Atriplex billardierei · Silver saltbush · Fourwing saltbush · Gray saltbush · Flat-topped saltbush · Shadscale saltbush · Heartscale
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Atriplex semibaccata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
