# Winterfat (*Krascheninnikovia lanata*)

Winterfat is a special plant that grows in dry places like deserts. It has soft, fuzzy leaves that help it stay alive when it's really hot or cold outside.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Desert

![Winterfat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Krascheninnikovia_lanata_1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Krascheninnikovia_lanata_1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Winterfat is a slender, grayish-white shrub covered in soft, fuzzy hairs. Its narrow leaves have rolled edges, giving it a distinct silvery-green appearance that stands out in dry landscapes, often keeping its look through winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Amaranthaceae
- **Genus:** Krascheninnikovia

## Interesting facts

- It changes its scientific name often, sometimes confusing botanists!
- Its fuzzy seeds have tiny hooks that cleverly hitch rides on animals!
- Some people call it 'White Sage' because of its silvery look!
- This tough plant can live for many decades in harsh deserts!

## Special abilities

- **Fuzzy Armor:** Winterfat has soft, white fuzzy hairs on its leaves and stems that reflect harsh sunlight and trap moisture, keeping it cool and hydrated.
- **Salt Buster:** Winterfat can grow in salty soils where many other plants can't, thanks to its special ability to manage high mineral levels.
- **Winter Snack Bar:** Winterfat stays green and nutritious all winter, providing essential food for animals when other plants are dormant.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — a vital winter food source
- **Eats:** [Pronghorn](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pronghorn) (*Antilocapra americana*) — relies on its nutritious leaves
- **Eats:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — collects and consumes its seeds

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look at plants from a distance and don't touch them without asking an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Winterfat?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Winterfat?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Winterfat spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Winterfat?

0.1-0.5 cm

### When does Winterfat bloom?

Late spring to fall

### Is Winterfat edible?

No

### Is Winterfat toxic?

None

### What is Winterfat's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Elephant Butte Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elephant-butte-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District
- [Scotts Bluff National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scotts-bluff-national-monument) — Nebraska, US · National Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Winterfat: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/winterfat)