CHENOPODIACEAE Atriplex semibaccata Creeping saltbush/Berry saltbush

Fruit

Avon Catchment Council Atriplex semibaccata Creeping saltbush/Berry saltbush

Plant features Growth form A short lived perennial prostrate, spreading, groundcover, up to 0.1- 0.5m high and 1.8m wide. Leaves The leaves are thin, oblong to oval, often with a blunt end, with ‘toothed’ margins and 10-20mm long. They are grey-green in

CHENOPODIACEAE colour, scaly below and smooth on top. Flowers There are separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Occur in small clusters on the axil between the stem and leaves. Flowers most of year. Fruits Female flowers develop into succulent square/diamond shaped red berries, 2-5mm long and wide. Berries turn dark brown when dry. Bark Grey.

Distribution Occurs naturally throughout the Avon

catchment and from north of Floodfringe Geraldton to Esperance with isolated Floodway occurrences in the goldfields. Normal winter level Zone, habitat Prefered habitat of Atriplex semibaccata Grows on a variety of fresh to slightly saline soils. Occurs across the landscape including floodfringes, floodways and lake margins. Additional information Very useful understorey species for riparian revegetation. It is quite palatable to both stock and native fauna and will readily recover if not subjected to overgrazing. It is slightly waterlogging and salt tolerant and very drought tolerant. Its dense foliage covers the ground, acting as a green mulch, providing protection for both the soil and fauna. The large number of seeds are an important food source of insects, birds and small marsupials. Plants can be grown from tubestock or by direct seeding. Seed can be collected from Jan to Mar.