Atriplex lentiformis aka Quail Bush

Atriplex lentiformis belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. This shrub stays green all year. Its names include quail bush and big saltbush. It grows wild in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range includes western Texas and the Baja California peninsula. It lives in deserts and dry scrub, plus sites near water. These sites include stream banks, canal edges, and roadsides. It also grows in salty channels that drain water.

The shrub grows at a medium rate and forms dense growth. Reports give heights of about 6.6–13 feet [2–4 metres]. One account gives about 10 feet [3 metres]. It keeps its leaves all year. Its dense growth gives birds cover and spots to nest. Birds eat its seeds, and other wildlife eats its leaves. It can form a hedge or windbreak on salty ground.

Flowers bloom from May to September. Wind spreads their pollen. The source says plants bear male or female flowers. Grow both sexes if you need seeds. Seeds ripen from July to October. Their thin, papery covers crush with ease. Still, take care when you clean the seeds. Small bits of stem can stay mixed with them. The seeds are small, so they take time to gather and prepare.

Give this shrub full sun and soil that drains well. It grows in sand and loam, even on poor ground. It accepts slightly acid and neutral soils. Alkaline and very alkaline soils suit it too. It copes with salt, drought, and floods. It suits hot, dry sites, but avoid too much added water. The source lists USDA zones 8–11. It warns against colder sites. Plantings help hold soil and curb erosion. The shrub may take over some disturbed, salty ground by streams.

Past food uses include cooked leaves, young shoots, and seeds. The leaves have a low food rating. Raw seeds taste bitter. The source says to boil seeds through two changes of water. Ground seeds can thicken soup or join flour for bread. Leaves may build up harmful nitrates with artificial fertiliser. People have used crushed leaves and roots as laundry soap. Folk uses include care for congestion and sores. These past uses do not prove that such treatments are safe.