Tamarix chinensis     
Salt ceder   
Tamaricaceae Family     

Tamarix chinensis

Form: irregularly-shaped, single or multistemmed tree or shrub, weeping appearance
Seasonality: deciduous
Size: 6-20ft. spread 4-10ft; size varies with water supply
Leaves: scale-like, compressed, jointed, light blue-green
Flowers: terminal clusters, usually off-white or light pink; also pink or purple varieties
Fruit: insignificant
Stems/Trunks: usually concealed by foliage
Range/Origin: Asia
Hardiness: well below 32°F

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• introduced as a stabilizing plant
• can be trained to a specimen tree
• high salinity or alkalinity situations

leaf and flower forms of Tamarix chinensis

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: full sun, takes heat; may establish in shade
• Water: opportunistic water user; will survive on natural rainfall or take as much water as it can get
• Soil: tolerant, especially of alkaline soils
• Propagation: seed; naturalizes aggressively
• Maintenance: high; leaf drop, allopathic, self-sows uncontrollably

NOTES:

bark on Tamarix chinensis

naturalized over wide regions, is basically considered a weed tree

will form attractive thickets with thick mats of shed leaves underfoot

some varieties are actually sought after for the color of their flowers

notoriously dangerous in fires because its resinous leaves burn explosively

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This page was first created September 21, 2001 and last modified June 1, 2006.

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