Atriplex cinerea aka Grey Saltbush

Atriplex cinerea is a shrub known as grey saltbush. It is evergreen and keeps its leaves all year. It belongs to the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. Kew lists its native range as western and southern Australia. This range also takes in Lord Howe Island. Plants For A Future gives a wider range, including southern Africa. In Australia, it grows on coastal dunes and salt marshes. There, it faces salt spray and poor, sandy soil.

The shrub grows about 6.6 feet (2 metres) tall and wide. It grows at a moderate pace. Its silver leaves make it useful in gardens near the coast. Wind moves pollen from flower to flower. Plants are self-fertile: they can set seed with their own pollen. Birds eat the fruit. Seeds and leaves feed other wildlife. The sources give no flower colour for this species. Nor do they say when it blooms.

Grow grey saltbush in full sun and well-drained soil. It grows in sand and loam, even with few nutrients. Plants For A Future says it also accepts well-drained clay. The soil can be acidic, neutral or alkaline. It accepts dry to moist soil and copes with drought. It cannot cope with ground that stays soaked. It withstands salt in the soil and strong coastal winds. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 9–11. Yet it also says frost can harm the plant. Take care with cold when you choose a site.

Gardeners plant grey saltbush to block wind and hold soil. It helps restore damaged land and sites with salty soil. Its leaves add beauty where harsh coastal sites limit plant choice. Livestock eat its leaves and fruit. Grow new plants from seeds or cuttings. The evidence names no pests or diseases for this species. Plants For A Future does not flag it as a weed.

Plants For A Future lists the leaves, fruit and seeds as edible. You can add young leaves to salads or cook them. Boiling helps cut the amount of salt in them. Leaves can taste salty even when the soil is not salty. Eat the fruit on its own or in salads. The seeds are edible but take work to handle. The source warns that artificial fertilisers may cause harm. They can lead to harmful nitrate buildup in leaves. It lists no known medicinal use for this species.