Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Atriplex halimus
Mediterranean Saltbush
The Atriplex halimus, commonly known as the Mediterranean Saltbush or Sea Orach, is a vigorous silver-grey shrub of Mediterranean and north African coasts and salt steppes. It forms a dense, broad mass of thick, mealy, triangular leaves that hold a strong silver colour through the hottest part of the year.
It clips well, takes direct salt wind and grows fast enough to be useful as a first-line shelter planting on new coastal sites. It is used for coastal shelter belts, silver hedging, saline rehabilitation and highway verge planting.
Specifications
- Height1 to 3 metres
- Width1.5 to 3 metres
- Native toThe Mediterranean basin and north Africa, extending to the Atlantic coast and the salt steppes of the interior
- FoliageThick, mealy, triangular to ovate silver-grey leaves held densely; evergreen
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilAccepts saline, alkaline, sandy, gravelly and moderately heavy soils; needs drainage more than fertility
- LightFull sun
- WaterVery low; strongly drought-tolerant once established
- ClimateThrives in Mediterranean, arid, semi-arid and coastal regions and carries Gulf summer heat well
Additional Features
- FormDense broad silver mass; responds well to clipping and regenerates readily from old wood
- UsesCoastal shelter belts and windbreaks, silver hedging, saline site rehabilitation, highway verge and embankment planting
- SpacingPlant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a clipped hedge, or 2 to 2.5 metres for informal mass
- Low MaintenanceCut back hard as needed to hold density and colour; no feeding or spraying required
- Pest ResistanceRobust with no significant recurring problems
- Salt ToleranceVery high in both soil and salt-laden wind, and used as a nurse species on saline coastal sites
- Drought ToleranceVery high once established, holding silver foliage through long dry summers
- Seasonal AppealStrong silver-grey foliage colour held all year, useful as contrast against green mass planting
- Environmental BenefitsWidely used in saline land reclamation and as drought forage reserve
The Mediterranean Saltbush is a fast, clippable silver shrub that will take the salt wind a coastal scheme has to survive.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 12 September 2026