Salt Cedar Tamarix ramosissima

Showy summer flowering rapidly growing thicket forming small tree or shrub that is generally associated with Coastal areas. It has scaly gray-green juniper like foliage but is neither a conifer or an evergreen.  It produces true flowers which are pink and appear from June to August. Its branches are long, slender and arching and have an attractive reddish color.  Used in rain and naturalized garden areas and is valued along the sea shore beause of its moderately salt tolerance.  The common name salt cedar comes from not only the plants ability to withsand saline conditions but actually produce salt themselves.  Prune as needed in late winter to early spring going as far as the ground like you would a Buddleja spp. to rejuvinate growth and help keep the form compact.  Avoid excess fertilizer, this tree has a sparse root system.  It can be used as a windbreak or erosion control on the outter edges of the landscape where its unattractive winter appearance will not distract.

Wildlife Value: Tolerates damage by deer.

Insects, Diseseses, and Other Plant Problems: Caution should be used when planting as it can be quite invasive in warm coastal and riparian areas in zones 8-10.

Is synomonus withTamarix gallica, T. chinensis, T. pentandra