Shadscale, also known as Spiny Saltbush, is a valuable evergreen shrub native to the western United States and northern Mexico. Its leaves make delicious greens when cooked and the water used can be added to corn pudding. The seeds can be made into a meal and used as a thickener in bread or mixed with flour. In winter, shadscale fruits and leaves provide important browse for both domestic livestock and native herbivores. Shadscale prefer sandy, well-drained soils and can tolerate moderately saline conditions. Its height varies from 1-3ft and its fruit does not have four wings like the fourwing saltbush. Its blooms can be seen from March to June. Shadscale saltbush is essential for providing cover for several species of small mammals and is great browse for deer and pronghorn. It is generally killed by fire and is a valuable component of the ecosystems it inhabits.