 Salty soils of the cold desert regions of Wyoming are generally not a place that vegetation grows. However, there are some species that can grow in these harsh environments. Salt bushes are shrubs that can tolerate soils with a high salt content. Salty soils are a problem because salts present in the soil mix with water available to plants. This salty water is often too concentrated for most plants to use for photosynthesis. Plants can utilize salt water, sometimes even water that is several times saltier than the ocean. Salt bushes are important plants. They provide wildlife with food and cover and areas that might be otherwise bare of vegetation. These plants also help protect soils from erosion due to wind and the occasional rainstorm. And typical salt bushes that can be found in Wyoming include black grease wood, four-wing salt bush, gardener salt bush, and shad scale salt bush. While maybe not the most glamorous floor in Wyoming, salt brushes play an important role in cold desert ecosystems. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Wendy Kelly, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.