fourwing

Fourwing is a vernacular name used for several plant species, most notably the fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), a drought-tolerant shrub native to western North America. The name derives from the four-winged, papery bracts that surround the plant’s flowers and fruit.

Atriplex canescens forms a shrub typically 0.5 to 2 meters tall, though it can grow taller in favorable conditions. Leaves are gray-green, oval to lanceolate, and often have a waxy coating that helps reduce water loss. The plant bears clusters of inconspicuous flowers, and its fruit is enclosed in papery, four-winged bracts that give the species its characteristic appearance.

Distribution and habitat-wise, fourwing saltbush is native to arid and semiarid regions from western Canada and the United States southward into Mexico. It thrives in deserts, sagebrush steppe, and other dry habitats, including alkaline or saline soils. The species is noted for its tolerance of drought, poor soils, and harsh winds.

Ecology and uses include its role as forage in rangelands, where it provides browse for livestock and wildlife during dry periods. It is also valued for land restoration, erosion control, and windbreaks due to its spreading form and deep, extensive root system. The four-winged bracts surrounding the fruit aid in dispersal and seed protection.

Taxonomically, the plant belongs to the genus Atriplex in the Amaranthaceae family. While Atriplex canescens is the best-known species associated with the term “fourwing,” the name may be applied to other four-winged plants in arid-zone flora.