Cistanche salsa （C. A. Mey.） G. Beck is a parasitic herb of the genus Cistanche in the family Orobanchaceae， which has the largest number of host plant species identified. It is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in northwest China. To clarify the distribution of C. salsa resources and the identify host plants， 66 samples of C. salsa with parasitic roots were analyzed using DNA barcoding and morphological characters. The results indicated that C. salsa was widely distributed in regions of Xinjiang and Ningxia municipality， at the elevation ranging from 400 to 2000 meters. Specifically， the host plants in Yumin County， Tacheng City， Xinjiang Municipality including Seriphidium compactum （Fisch. ex DC.） Poljakov （Seriphidium genus， Asteraceae） and Atriplex verrucifera Marsch. von Bieb. （Atriplex genus， Amaranthaceae）， the host plants in Tacheng County of Tacheng City including Kalidium cuspidatum Ung.-Sternb. （Kalidium genus， Amaranthaceae）， A. verrucifera and Krascheninnikovia ceratoides （L.） Gueldenst. （Krascheninnikovia genus， Amaranthaceae）， among which A. verrucifera was the dominant host. The host plants in Habahe County， Altay City， Xinjiang Municipality including S. compactum， Krascheninnikovia ewersmanniana （Stschegl. ex Losinsk.） Grubov （Krascheninnikovia genus， Amaranthaceae） and K. ceratoides， the host plants in Jimunai County of Altay City including K. ceratoides and S. compactum. In Yiwu County， Hami City， Xinjiang Municipality， Iljinia regelii （Bunge） Korovin （Iljinia genus， Amaranthaceae） served as the dominant host plant， and the host plants in Barkol County of Hami City including K. cuspidatum. Besides， Suaeda physophora Pall （Suaeda genus， Amaranthaceae） was host plant in the plantation of Jumisar of Changji City in Xinjiang Municipality. Kalidium gracile Fenzl （Kalidium genus， Amaranthaceae） and Sympegma regelii Bunge （Sympegma genus， Amaranthaceae） were both host plants in Yanchi County of Ningxia Wuzhong region， with S. regelii being the dominant host. And S. compactum is a new recorded host plant of C. salsa. Collectively， this study provided scientific basis for protection and breeding of C. salsa and its cultivated host plants in future.