Tamarix Species, Fourstamen Tamarisk, Saltcedar, Smallflower Tamarisk

plants in the genus Tamarix are an invasive species to the United States. Please do not add this plant to your landscaping!

...Read More> The genus Tamarix (tamarisk, salt cedar) is composed of about 50–60 species of flowering plants in the family Tamaricaceae, native to drier areas of Eurasia and Africa.

Ten states west of the Mississippi have declared this species a noxious weed or invasive species. It's a serious pest species on the shor...Read Morees of rivers, lakes, and irrigation canals in arid regions of the US, from Texas to North Dakota and west to California. There it forms impenetrable thickets, increases the salt content of the soil, and changes hydrology. According to BONAP, it has naturalized in 22 states. It doesn't seem to be a problem east of the Mississippi.

The foliage is feathery and graceful. The winter appearance is scraggly and coarse.

As an ornamental, it's best cut back hard annually like a buddleia---regrowth is fast and vigorous, and bloom occurs on new growth. It sometimes needs staking for support, as the root system often isn't strong enough mechanically to hold the top growth upright.

Classified as an invasive species in Arizona, also creates a serious fire hazard and outcompetes native flora for the sparse and limited ...Read Moreamounts of water here around riparian environments.

To make matters even worse, it accumulates salt within its tissues and later releases it into the soil in heavy concentrations, preventing native species from growing nearby.

This plant is listed on the North Dakota invasive/troublesome list and this information is being distributed in a guide developed by the ...Read MoreND Weed Control Association and other agencies.

Plant Features
Perennial, up to 30 feet tall
Evergreen/cedar-like shrub or small tree
Loses all of it's leaves in the fall
Leaves soft, scale-like, turn yellow/reddish before dropping in late fall
Bark is scaly and reddish on older plants, smooth and reddish on younger plants
Large stout taproot with a slender upright or branched trunk
Flowers abundant, white to pink, 5 petals, located on the ends of branches
Blooms May through September
Spreads by plant fragments and pepper size/like seed

Distribution:
Widespread invasive found in ornamental landscape plantings and in moist areas (waterways, shorelines, etc.)

Interesting Facts:
May transpire up to 200 gallons of water daily
Suppresses growth of other plants by excreting salt (increases soil salinity).
Roots known to reach 50 foot depths.
A single plant may produce over half-million seeds per year