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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Krascheninnikovia lanata

Krascheninnikovia lanata (Pursh) A. Meeuse & Smit

Winterfat

Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)

Synonym(s): Ceratoides lanata, Ceratoides lanata var. ruinina, Ceratoides lanata var. subspinosa, Eurotia lanata, Eurotia lanata var. subspinosa

USDA Symbol: krla2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Winterfat is a 1-3 ft., low, spreading shrub with gray-brown, exfoliating bark and fuzzy, pale blue, deciduous foliage. Flowers, on female plants only, are a brilliant silvery-white and occur in dense, axillary spikes.

From the Image Gallery

47 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Leaf: White-Gray
Fruit: Utricle.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , KS , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , OK , OR , SD , TX , UT , WA , WY
Canada: MB , SK , YT
Native Distribution: Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan south through WA e. of the Cascades & Sierras through Oregon and California to Baja California, e. to southwestern Manitoba, w. ND, w. KS, & w. TX, with disjunct populations in the Yukon
Native Habitat: Rolling plains; rocky mesas; scrubby flats

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Clay, chalky or saline soils.
Conditions Comments: Winterfat will bloom and produce fruits the first year from seed. Must have a male plant nearby for females to produce flowers. To keep it bushy, prune it back in early spring. This drought tolerant plant is suitable for revegation purposes in alkaline areas.

Propagation

Description: Propagate with seed or softwood cuttings. Seed treatment in not required.
Seed Collection: There is a high loss of viability if seeds are stored 2-3 years.
Seed Treatment: Stratification will enhance germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Krascheninnikovia lanata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Krascheninnikovia lanata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Krascheninnikovia lanata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-15
Research By: TWC Staff

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