Saltbrush (
Atriplex) is another of the many nondescript shrubs found in the cold deserts of the
Great Basin and higher-elevation areas of the
Mojave Desert. As the name suggests, it thrives in areas of very
salty soil. It can be identified by its greyish-green leaves and its 'winged' seeds. One of the most common types in the
Eastern Sierras, 4-wing Saltbrush, has distinctive 4-winged seeds.
Saltbrush is often found in association with sagebrush and rabbitbrush, and sometimes pinon pine or juniper. It has no 'economic' value, but it clings to existance in the harsh desert strongly, and is important habitat for various desert animals, who also may eat its seeds. It could be used as a landscape plant, I'd imagine, but it really isn't all that attractive to humans. It's more admirable and scenic in the wild, where it's clinging to life in places nothing else could survive.