SALTCEDAR — Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.

Tamaricaceae — (Tamarisk family)

Salt Cedar or tamarisk is a very invasive non-native shrub or tree; it was brought here in the early 1800’s as an ornamental.  It escaped to invade wetlands, moist ranges, lake sides, stream banks, sandbars, and other saline environment.  It crowds out native species, limits natural habitat, and reduces water tables by absorbing up to 200 gallons of water a day per plant.

The cedar type scaly leaves are very bright green to grey-green, very small and overlapping along the highly branched feathery limbs.  The deep roots concentrate salts in the leaves.  Each year as the leaves drop, the area around the tree becomes more and more alkaline which indirectly inhibits other plant species.

Deep roots penetrate into the water table and support numerous smooth reddish or brownish limbs.  As the tree matures, the smooth bark becomes more grey, thick and dry.  In our area, tamarisk grows to about 15 foot. 

The pink or white flowers are very small, 5 petaled, growing in feathery, finger like clusters at the ends of the branches.  Each plant may produce up to 500,000 tiny seeds that are easily born by the Wyoming wind.  Tamarisk seeds initially need moist habitat.  More mature roots absorb large amounts of water and tend to dehydrate the soil and the surrounding area.  It is important to control the spread of this aggressive, hard to kill plant.

The following is courtesy of Weeds of the West:
Deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, five to twenty feet tall. Bark on saplings and smooth woody stems are dark brown to reddish-brown. Leaves are small and scale like, on highly-branched slender green stems. Flowers are pink to white, five-petalled and borne in fingerlike clusters.

Saltcedar, also called tamarisk, was introduced from Eurasia and is now widespread in the United States. Small flower tamarisk (T. parviflora DC.) is similar in appearance, but has four-petalled flowers, with brown to deep purple bark on stems. Small flower tamarisk was introduced from Southern Europe, and is also widespread. Both species are used as ornamentals, but have escaped and become naturalized along streams, canals and reservoirs in much of the West.

Growth Habit: Evergreen shrub or small tree, up to 30` tall, spread by seed.

Leaves: Small scale like, resemble cedars, salty residue collects on foliage.

Stem: Numerous, slender, upright and highly branched, smooth reddish brown bark, become furrowed and ridged with age.

Flower: Pink to white, 5-petaled.

Roots: Extensive, crown to about 18 inches deep.

Seeds: 500,000 seeds, small, easily dispersed by wind.

Other: Dependent on ground water, areas become dryer with long term occupation. A single plant can use up to 200 gallons of water per day.(Courtesy of Weeds of the West)

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