Common Saltwort

Salsola kali

Found in upper beaches, fore-dunes, and island-end flats, rarely inland in disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 41%

Height: It is highly branched and rounded in form, growing from 1 to 3 feet in height and from 1 to 5 feet in diameter.
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to wet

No photograph yet. Looking for an old drawing…

At a glance

Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves · Bloom

Bloom: NC species account not read yet.

Spread, life cycle and leaves: no source found yet.

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 2 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

6CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Salsola

Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
Euxoa detersaRubbed Dart, Sandhill Cutworm
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Uresiphita reversalisGenista Caterpillar, Genista Cbroom Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Salsola

Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Chenopodiaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Height · “It is highly branched and rounded in form, growing from 1 to 3 feet (0.3-1 m) in height and from 1 to 5 feet (0.3-1.5 m) in diameter.” · Fire Effects Information System: Salsola kali · Source botanical description; original units and scope retained
Light · “Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GU
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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