SimplePlant

Chenopodiaceae

Russian thistle

Salsola kali L.

Family
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Salsola

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Russian thistle (Salsola kali)
FlowerPhoto: Shaun Swanepoel, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (28)
Afrikaans
Kakiebos, Kakiedissel, Khakibos, Rolbossie, Russiese rolbossie
Arabic
أشنان القصارين, الحاذ الشوكي, الحرض, خطمي كاذب, شوك احمر, غاسول
arz
سالسولا كالى
Basque
Itsas salsola
Breton
Bugelenn-mor
Catalan
Barrella punxosa, Barrella borda, Barrella espinosa
Chinese
刺沙蓬, 苏打刺沙蓬, 蘇打刺沙蓬, 鹽草
Czech
Slanobýl draselný
Danish
Almindelig Sodaurt
Dutch
Stekend loogkruid, Stekend loogkruid en zacht loogkruid
English
Russian thistle, Prickly saltwort, Classwort, Khakibush, Prickly glasswort, Rolypoly, Rush-and-tumble weed, Russian tumbleweed
Estonian
Rand-ogamalts
Finnish
Meriotakilokki
French
Soude brûlée, Soude, Soude roulante
German
Kali-Salzkraut, Kalisalzkraut, Küsten-Salzkraut
hsb
Kalijowy selenc
kw
Holanles
Lithuanian
Smiltyninė druskė
Macedonian
Обична солненка
Norwegian Bokmål
Sodaurt
nv
Chʼil awoshí
Polish
Solanka kolczysta
Serbian (Latin)
Solnjača
Slovenian
Navadna solinka
Spanish
Almajo de los jaboneros, Charoleras, Espinardos, Hierba del jabon, Hierba del jabón, Mata punchosa, Monte espinoso, Volero
Swedish
Sodaört
Ukrainian
Курай поташевий
Welsh
Helys pigog

Synonyms

  • Corispermum pilosum Raf.
  • Kali australis (R.Br.) Akhani & Roalson
  • Kali soda Moench
  • Salsola acicularis Salisb.
  • Salsola aptera Iljin
  • Salsola australis R.Br.
  • Salsola australis var. strobilifera (Benth.) Domin
  • Salsola brachypteris Moq.
  • Salsola decumbens Lam.
  • Salsola kali f. hirsuta Hornem.
  • Salsola kali subsp. austroafricana Aellen
  • Salsola kali subsp. iberica (Sennen & Pau) Rilke
  • Salsola kali subsp. kali
  • Salsola kali var. angustifolia Fenzl
  • Salsola kali var. brachypteris (Moq.) Benth.
  • Salsola kali var. glabra Forssk.
  • Salsola kali var. hispida Forssk.
  • Salsola kali var. hispida-polygama Forssk.
  • Salsola kali var. kali
  • Salsola kali var. leptophylla Benth.
  • Salsola kali var. strobilifera Benth.
  • Salsola macrophylla R.Br.
  • Salsola tragus var. australis (R.Br.) Bég.
  • Salsola turgida Dumort.

Flowers

In flower
August to November (from 493 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Annual
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

More in Salsola

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.