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Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens) Habitat Management
Suggestions for Selected Wildlife Species Description: Fourwing saltbush is one of the most widely distributed and important shrubs on rangelands in the west and across the Great Plains. Its natural range extends from below sea level to above 8,000 feet. It is commonly known in various regions as chamisa, chamiza, chamiso, white greasewood, salt sage, and bushy atriplex. Fourwing saltbush is the most widely accepted common name for this shrub. Mature plants of various growth forms range from 2 to 8 feet tall, depending on the site and ecotype. A giant form up to 12 feet tall has been reported from the Little Sahara sand dunes of west-central Utah. 'Wytana' fourwing saltbush is a variety cooperatively released in 1976 by the Soil Conservation Service Bridger Plant Materials Center and the Montana and Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Stations. It is the naturally occurring variety or subspecies aptera of Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. Commonly found in Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. It is grown in rows for seed production and harvested with standard farm equipment. The stems are mostly erect, 2 to 3 feet tall, branching freely from the base. Young twigs and leaves are mostly deciduous, but some do persist over winter. Additional leaves develop in the spring. The leaves are linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, 1 to 4 cm long, and 2 to 6 mm wide. The plants are mostly unisexual, i.e., with male and female flowers on separate plants. Some bisexual plants are found within a plant population. These plants can exhibit both monoecious, i.e., male and female flowers on one plant, and hermaphroditic, i.e., male and female parts in one flower, characteristics. The seed is contained in utricles that turn a dull yellow when ripe and may remain attached to the plant through the winter. The utricle has four distinct wings. Intact utricles number about 23,000 per pound, while it takes about 52,000 clean, dewinged seeds to equal a pound. The protein content of plants is 22 percent in the green leave state and 11 percent when they are dormant. Adaptation: Fourwing saltbush grows on a variety of soils and sites, mainly in the hills and on the plains of Montana, occurring as few individual plants, and scattered to nearly solid stands. It is best suited to deep, well drained, alluvial fans, ridges, slopes and gravelly drainageways. It grows particularly well on loams and sandy soils, is found on heavy clay soils, and is adapted to a wide range of saline soils. It is often found growing in association with black greasewood, shad scale, Nuttall's saltbush, winterfat or big sagebrush. It has excellent drought tolerance, and on deep soils grows in precipitation zones of 5 to 9 inches or less. Its tolerance to alkali salts is less than black greasewood. Establishment: This shrub can be grown by direct seeding or by transplants. Seed should be planted ½ inch to not over 1 inch deep at a rate of ½ to 1 pound per acre in mixtures, preferably with native grasses, or 4 to 5 pounds per acre when planted alone. Late fall or early winter seedings for spring germination are best. Transplants should be put in place in the spring. Management and Care: Proper use as browse is approximately 50 percent of the current year's growth. Excessive use results in damage or loss of plants from breakage of the brittle branches. Damaged plants will recover if rested, but production will decrease until recovery is complete. Transplants may require supplemental irrigation on critical areas to assure establishment. Insects and diseases are not usually a problem. Uses: Fourwing saltbush provides browse for deer and antelope as well as food and cover for sharptailed grouse, gray partridge (huns), other upland game birds, rabbits, songbirds and various small mammals. Plantings for bighorn mountain sheep should be established for trial purposes in Montana. (Top) |
...one of the most widely distributed and important shrubs on rangelands in the west and across the Great Plains.
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