Saltwort

Kingdom Order Family Genus Species
Plantae Caryophyllales Amaranthaceae Salsola Salsola kali
  • Plant Type: Annual herb.
  • Common Name: Saltwort, Russian-thistle, Tumbleweed, Glasswort.
  • Color: Greenish to white.
  • Flower Dimensions: 0.16-0.31 inches in diameter.
  • Flowering Seasons/Months: July to October.
  • Desert with Saltwort: Gobi.

Saltwort Flower Characteristics

Saltwort

Saltwort is an annual herb from the Amaranth family. It is a low herb that can grow to 5-50 cm tall.

Glasswort

  • The stems of the Saltwort are erect. The young stems are red or purple with stripes.
  • The Saltw0rt is highly branched. The branches of the plant are arcuate. Other branches are almost prostrate.
  • The leaves of the Saltwort are fleshy, simple, lobed or unlobed, and alternate. The leaf blades are entire. The leaves are 1-2 mm wide.
  • The flowers of the Saltwort are radially symmetrical and possess 5 tepals fused into a cup or tube. Usually, there is one flower per axil of the bract.

Russian Thistle

Saltwort Facts

Salsola Kali

  • Salsola[1] comes from the Latin Salsus, which means “salty, ” and kali means ashes of a sodium-rich plant.
  • The prickly Saltwort is not a halophyte. The plant prefers sand further from the shore.
  • Saltwort contains 5% oxalic acid[2]. Therefore, this plant must be eaten in moderation because oxalic acid can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
  • The stem extracts of Salsola kali[3] are found to have effective antimicrobial activity against many human pathogens.
  • In Europe and North America, the pollen inhalation of Salsola kali[4] is a common cause of respiratory diseases. Research using the modified vaccine of S. kali pollen is proven effective and safe in treating patients with pollen sensitivity.

Tumbleweed

Suggested Reading: Kinds of Flowers

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BioExplorer.net. (2025, January 02). Saltwort. Bio Explorer. https://www.bioexplorer.net/plants/flowers/saltwort/.
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Key References
  • [1]“Prickly Saltwort, Salsola kali – Flowers – NatureGate”. Accessed September 11, 2022. Link.
  • [2]“Salsola kali Saltwort, Russian thistle PFAF Plant Database”. Accessed September 11, 2022. Link.
  • [3]“Biological activities and phytochemical analysis of phenolic extracts from Salsola kali L.. Role of endogenous factors in the selection of the best plant extracts – ScienceDirect”. Accessed September 11, 2022. Link.
  • [4]“Double-blind, placebo-controlled study with a modified therapeutic vaccine of Salsola kali (Russian thistle) administered through use of a cluster schedule – ScienceDirect”. Accessed September 11, 2022. Link.