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OLD MAN SALTBUSH FACTS |
Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License
Common Name
Old Man Saltbush
Description
Old Man Saltbush is a large grey shrub to 2 m tall and to 4-5 m wide, with brittle woody branches. Leaves scaly, shortly stalked, almost circular to broadly ovate, 10-25 mm long.
Plants dioecious with flowers in panicles at the ends of branches. Fruiting body stalkless, nearly round to more or less fan-shaped and 5-8 mm long.
Has moderate salt tolerance but does not survive extended waterlogging. Good drought resistance due to a deep root system and can withstand heavy grazing, once well established. Variable palatability. Leaves contain up to 28 percent salt. Has been used in the past as hedges, windbreaks and firebreaks
Habitat
Naturally grows on heavy textured soils on flats and depressions.
Distribution
Native to inland Australia in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria., New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory,
Growth Characteristics
Height (m): 2 - 3
Spread (m): 2 - 3
Soil Texture: sand, loam, clay, limestone
Soil pH: acid soils, neutral soils, alkaliine soils
Frost Sensitivity: resistant
Minimum Rainfall (mm): 250
Flower Colour: insignificant
Flower Season: frequent
(source: SA State Flora Catalog)
Classification
| Class: | Magnoliopsida | | Order: | Caryophyllales | | Family: | Chenopodaceae | | Genus: | Atriplex | | Species: | nummularia | | Common Name: | Old Man Saltbush |
Relatives in same Genus
Atriplex amnicola
Atriplex cinerea
Atriplex paludosa
Atriplex semibaccata
Atriplex suberecta
Atriplex vesicaria
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