Tamarix ramosissima aka Tamarisk

Tamarix ramosissima has two common names: tamarisk and salt cedar. It is part of the Tamaricaceae family. It grows in regions with a temperate climate. Its native range runs from eastern and southeastern Europe to Mongolia. It also reaches the western Himalaya. This shrub sheds its leaves and can become a small tree. It forms thickets and spreads fast through seeds and rhizomes. Rhizomes are stems that grow below ground. People brought it to the United States as a garden plant.

Plants grow 5–25 feet (1.5–7.6 metres) tall. One garden source gives a width of about 13 feet (4 metres). Another gives widths up to 20 feet (6.1 metres). Several stems form a wide crown that spreads out. Long, thin branches bend out, and young shoots droop. Young stems range from shades of red to orange-yellow. Grey bark forms on older stems. Small, grey-green leaves overlap like scales along the stems. Their fine texture looks like juniper, but this plant sheds its leaves.

Small pink flowers grow in dense racemes, or flower clusters. These have a feathery look. Flowers bloom on new shoots, most often from June to August. Some sources also note blooms in spring. Dry seed pods, called capsules, form in summer and autumn. Each pod splits open and frees many seeds. Wind and water carry these seeds over long distances. A deep main root, or taproot, helps the plant survive. Its spreading rhizomes help it survive too.

Full sun and soil that drains well suit this plant. It grows in sand, loam, and heavy clay. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils, even poor ground. Garden guides favour sandy loam with dry to moderate moisture. It also copes with drought, wet soil, and salt. It can stand exposure on the coast too. North Carolina State lists USDA zones 2–9. Pruning in late winter can keep its growth more compact. Garden uses include loose hedges, windbreaks, and borders. It also helps stop soil from washing away. Its bare winter form can look untidy.

Its spread as an invasive plant outweighs these uses in many American regions. It has escaped onto riverbanks, floodplains, ditches, and waste ground. Dense growth uses up water and adds salt to soil. These changes can stop native plants from growing. North Carolina State advises against planting it. That source reports no known insect pests or diseases. It also notes that the plant resists deer damage. PFAF reports sweet manna on stems that insects have damaged. People use this sticky substance in sweets. PFAF lists no known hazards or uses as medicine. This lack of known hazards does not prove every use is safe.