Salsola kali is a plant species that is commonly known as prickly saltwort, Russian thistle, or glasswort. Salsola kali is an annual that grows in arid soils and in sandy coastal soils. Its original range is Eurasian, but it has become naturalized, and even invasive, in North America, Australia, and elsewhere. The dried plant can detach and become a tumbleweed.
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| Species: | S. kali
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Alkali and soda ash
The ashes of Salsola kali contain as much as 30% sodium carbonate, which is one of the alkali materials essential to making glass, soap, and many other commodites. The word alkali derives from the Arabic al qaly, or "from Kali." Salsola soda, Salsola kali, and other saltwort and glasswort plants were an important source of soda ash until the early 19th century. In Spain, the saltwort plants were called barrilla, and were the basis of a large 18th century industry. In the early 19th century, plant sources were supplanted by synthetic soda ash produced using the Leblanc process.
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