Description

Quail bush grows in a wide range of plant communities throughout California and beyond. This speaks to its impressive toughness. It is one of relatively few plants that range from our southeastern desert to the coast, Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area. Quail bush grows as a rounded shrub of silvery leaves. The breweri subspecies, which is no longer recognized, has wider leaves and larger fruit than other forms of the species. I find this an attractive shrub, but its main claim to fame is its value to wildlife. All parts of the shrub are edible, and its dense growth form provides protection for birds (such as quail). The salt bush of this genus are so named for their ability to concentrate salt in their leaves. This prevents damage to plant tissue and enables the plant to colonize soil with high salinity.