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Bush Seepweed
Suaeda nigra
  
About Bush Seepweed (Suaeda nigra) 2 Nurseries Carry This Plant Suaeda nigra (formerly Suaeda moquinii) is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common names Mojave seablite and bush seepweed. Suaeda nigra is native to much of western North America, from central Canada through the Western United States, Great Basin, the Mojave Desert in California, and into northern Mexico. It grows in many types of habitat with saline and alkaline substrates, such as desert flats, playas, and seeps. It is mostly an inland species but is occasionally seen in coastal areas, such as estuaries. Suaeda nigra is a shrub or subshrub growing from a woody base with many spreading branches, reaching up to 1. 5 metres (4. 9 ft) in height. The plants may grow as annuals at times. The species is genetically diverse and quite variable in appearance. It may be hairy to hairless but is usually waxy. It may be green to red to dark purple in color, sometimes almost black. The fleshy leaves are linear to lance-shaped, 1 to 3 centimeters long, and flat or cylindrical. Flowers occur in clusters along the upper stems, each cluster containing 1 to 12 flowers. Leaflike bracts accompany the clusters. The flower has no petals and is composed of a calyx of fleshy, rounded sepals. The fruit is an utricle that grows within the calyx.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Perennial herb

Size
Size
3 - 4.9 ft tall
3 ft wide

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Flower Color
Flower Color
Cream

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 


 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Moderate - High

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Keep moist

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 5° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Usually found in rocky, sandy or gravelly soil with subterranean water. Tolerates Saline Soil,Tolerates Sodic Soil. Soil PH: 7.0 - 8.0

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Saline/alkaline flats with subsurface moisture

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 2.1" - 38.8", Summer Precipitation: 0.12" - 2.55", Coldest Month: 34.2" - 61.3", Hottest Month: 61.8" - 90.3", Humidity: 0.85" - 49.33", Elevation: -210" - 4976"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Suaeda moquinii,Suaeda torreyana
Common Names: Mojave Seablite


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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