Wingscale

Pollen Type: Weed

Cross-Reactivity: Bassia, Lenscale, Iodine Bush, Annual Saltbush, All Scale, Bract Scale, Brewer’s Scale, Lens Scale, Red Scale, Silver Scale, Spear Scale, Sugar Beet, Winter Fat

HS Allergy Extract: Scale, Wing

Family: Chenpodiaceae

Genus/Species: Atriplex canescens

Common Names: Wingscale, Shadscale, Four-winged Saltbrush, Chamiso, Chamiza

Distribution: West Texas to Kansas to Montana and Alberta. Eastern Washington to southern California and Mexico.

Locations: Disturbed sites and desert areas. Often found in areas near sagebrush.

Pollination Method: Wind-pollinated

Pollinating Period: June-Mid-September

Description: Wingscale is a large, woody, densely branched grayish shrub. Its size ranges greatly from 1’-10’, but is most commonly 2’-4’. Its thin leaves are 1/2”-2”.   It is a dioecious species, meaning male and female plants grow separately. The staminate glomerules (male flowers) grow in dense terminal spike-like clusters and produce large quantities of pollen. The characteristic four-winged fruits are pale green when immature, becoming tinged with purple and finally turning brown in late fall. Wingscale has a prolonged summer pollinating period throughout its range. However, within a specific area, the pollinating period is usually within a month.

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