Shrubs gray or bluish. Roots spreading, 1–3 m. Bark reddish brown. Stems with spine-tipped, persistent leaf rachises, 2–6 cm. Leaves 3–4 cm; stipules subulate; leaflet blade cuneate-obovate or oblanceolate, 5–35 × 2–11 mm, leathery, base tapered, apex cuspidate, mucro 0.5–1 mm. Peduncles 1–4 cm. Racemes 1–3 per spur, 3–4.5 cm; bracts 1–2 mm, membranous; bracteoles paired, from base of calyx or distal part of pedicel, 0.5–1 mm, membranous. Pedicels 3–10 mm. Flowers: calyx persistent, ± regular, often ± gibbous, 3–7 mm, finely hairy; lobes broadly triangular, 0.5–1 mm, margins ciliate; corolla 13–20 mm; ovary glabrous; style glabrous; stigma terminal. Legumes yellow-brown, unilocular, 10–30 × 7–12 mm, rugose, leathery to woody; stipe 2–5 mm.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul, fruiting Aug–Oct.
Habitat: Disturbed areas.
Elevation: 50–1800 m.

Distribution

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Introduced; Sask., Utah, e Europe (Russia), w, c Asia (China, Iran, Mongolia, Siberia, Turkey).

Discussion

Halimodendron halodendron is cultivated as an ornamental in British Columbia, California, Manitoba, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Saskatchewan, Utah, and Wyoming; it has been reported from Montana. It is sometimes used for erosion control. In some climates, it survives better if grafted onto root stocks of Siberian pea tree, Caragana arborescens.

California has listed Halimodendron halodendron a noxious weed; known naturalized populations there have been eradicated (J. M. DiTomaso and E. A. Healy 2007). The species does not appear to escape cultivation readily, and reports of it being naturalized in other states (D. Isely 1998) are unconfirmed.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.