A. Fabiao, Centro de Inform

Family: Tamaricaceae (Tamarisk Family)

Synonym(s):

Duration: Perennial

Habit: Tree

Listed by:
Invasive Plant Atlas of the US: 1
Federal Noxious Weed: 0
TDA Noxious Weed: 1
TPWD Prohibited Exotic Species: 0

Description: Salt cedar plants are spreading shrubs or small trees, 5-20 feet tall, with numerous slender branches and small, alternate, scale-like leaves. The pale pink to white flowers are small and arranged in spike-like masses (racemes). The distinct petals and sepals occur in fours or five and it produces a capsuled fruit.

Salt cedar (Tamarix) taxonomy is currently in a state of confusion. The number of species in the genus has fluctuated widely because members of the genus have few constant differentiating features, and taxonomists have disagreed over which features are most important. Eight species have been listed as introduced into the United States and Canada. These species can be effectively divided into two groups. Tamarix aphylla, an evergreen tree, does not sexually reproduce in this climate, so it is not seriously invasive. Deciduous, shrubby species, including T. pentandra, T. tetranda, T. gallica, T. chinensis, T. ramosissima, and T. parvifolia, as described by various authors, are more serious invasive threats. Some authors continue to distinguish many species, while others consider these shrubby plants as one variable species or hybridizing group best designated by the single name T. pentandra.

History: It is believed that nurserymen on the east coast made the first introduction of saltcedar to North America in 1823. Saltcedar appeared on the west coast, where it was apparently brought in from eastern nurseries. It was planted as an ornamental in the western United States, but by the 1870s, it was reported to have escaped cultivation. By the 1920s, saltcedar was becoming a serious problem, spreading rapidly through the watersheds of the southwest.

Biology & Spread: Other Tamarix spread both vegetatively through underground stems producing adventitious roots, and sexually, by seeds. Each flower can produce thousands of tiny (1 mm; 1/20" diameter) seeds contained in a small capsule usually adorned with a tuft of hair that aids in wind dispersal. Seeds can also be dispersed by water.

Tamarisk trees are most often propagated by cuttings. These trees grow in disturbed and undisturbed streams, waterways, bottom lands, banks, and drainage washes of natural or artificial water bodies, moist rangelands, and pastures.

Ecological Threat: It takes over areas near springs and streams and pushes out native species such as willows and cottonwoods. Tamarisk sucks up so much water that it may leave an area dry, posing a major threat to riparian woodlands and even biodiversity in fragile desert ecosystems. Other Tamarisk species have impacted large tracts of riparian floodplain throughout the Southwest US because they exude salt from glands in its leaves. Furthermore, salt accumulates in the soil wherever the leaves fall, and after several years, the soil is unfit for native plants to grow. Tamarisk has desiccated southwestern and Californian desert wetlands.

US Habitat: Seedlings establish most frequently in soils that are seasonally saturated at the surface. It appears to grow best in saline soils (up to 15,000 ppm sodium), but saltcedar is adaptable and tolerant of a wide variety of environmental conditions.

Distribution

US Nativity: Introduced to U.S.

Native Origin: Mediterranean region

US States: AZ, CA, LA, SC, TX

Resembles/Alternatives:

Management: Once Tamarisk is well established it is very difficult and expensive to control. Monitoring, prevention, early detection and local eradication are the most effective ways to control it.

Chemical & Mechanical- Sawing followed immediately with applying herbicide to the stump, is effective. Burning and manipulation of water levels to mimic natural flow regimes can favor native species over Tamarisk.

Cultural- Removing tamarisk must be followed with the development of a healthy native plant community that is weed resistant and encourages native wildlife.

Biological- In 2006, the National Park System has worked on releasing the northern Tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) on federal lands including Dinosaur National Monument, San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, and White Sands Missile Range. After years of study, the USDA Agricultural Research Service found that the beetles eat only the tamarisk, and starve when no more is available, not eating any plants native to North America.

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: ALWAYS READ THE ENTIRE PESTICIDE LABEL CAREFULLY, FOLLOW ALL MIXING AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND WEAR ALL RECOMMENDED PERSONAL PROTECTIVE GEAR AND CLOTHING. CONTACT YOUR STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PESTICIDE USE REQUIREMENTS, RESTRICTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS. MENTION OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS ON THIS WEB SITE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OF ANY MATERIAL.

Listing Source

Texas Department ofAgriculture Noxious Plant List
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Prohibited Exotic Species
Invaders Program
Federal Noxious Weed
Union of Concerned Scientists
United States Forest Service Southern Research Station

Text References

Hitchcock, C.L. and A. Cronquist. 1961. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Volume 3: Saxifragaceae to Ericaceae. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Hitchcock, C.L. and A. Cronquist. 1961. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Volume 3: Saxifragaceae to Ericaceae. University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Sudbrock, A. 1993. Tamarisk control. I. Fighting Back: An overview of the invasion, and a low-impact way of fighting it. Restoration and Management Notes 11: 31-34.

Brotherson, J.D. and V. Winkle. 1986. Habitat relationships of saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) in central Utah. Great Basin Naturalist. 46: 535-541

Rodman, J. 1989. Reflections on Tamarisk bashing. Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting of the Society for Ecological Restoration.

Brotherson, J.D. and D, Field. 1987. Tamarix: Impacts of a successful weed. Rangelands 9: 110-112.

Rehder, Alfred. 1967. Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs: Hardy in North America, The MacMillan Co., New York.

Adams, Aaron (2021). Treating Invasive Tamarisk as an Intern at San Andres National Wildlife Refuge. The Geographical Bulletin. 62 (2): 101-103.

8 January 2009. Dinosaur National Monument, National Park Service "Our newest weed warriors". U.S. Department of the Interior.

Tracy, J.L.; Robbins, T.O.2009. Taxonomic revision and biogeography of the Tamarix-feeding Diorhabda elongata (Brulle, 1832) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Galerucini) and analysis of their potential in biological control of Tamarisk. Zootaxa. 2101: 1-152. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2101.1.1.

Data Source

Last Updated: 2024-01-23 by ARMO