Description

Bassia prostrata, Forage Kochia
(Old Nomenclature: Kochia prostrata) (Introduced)

Small to medium, 1 – 3 ft. tall, semi-evergreen half-shrub. Adapted to much of the western US especially semi-arid sites. Grows on all soil textures. Tolerant to alkali and salt but not acid. Tolerant to shallow and low fertility soils. Cold and heat-tolerant. Very palatable and nutritious for both livestock and many species of wildlife year-round. Will establish and persist on very harsh sites. Extremely valuable for range and wildlife habitat improvement. Also used for revegetation of disturbed sites caused by mining, road and pipeline construction etc. Immigrant Forage Kochia has been successfully established on a broad range of sites in the west, many of them very harsh and dry. Resprouts from fire and provides good firebreaks. Competes well with cheatgrass and halogeton. Minimum precip. is 6 – 8 inches. Plant in fall or winter on top of rough surface or snow to 1/6 inch deep. 395,000 seeds/lb.

Named Release: ‘Immigrant’ (Cultivar) Released in 1984 by the USFS, NRCS, UDWR, ID, NV, OR, AES’s. Original collection was from the Stravopol Botanical Gardens in USSR in 1966. Intended use was for forage, soil erosion control and western rangeland restoration.

USDA: Plant Profile | Plant Guide