Tamarix ramosissima
Encyclopedia
Tamarix ramosissima, commonly known as Saltcedar, is a deciduous
arching shrub with reddish stems and feathery, pale green foliage.
Tamarix ramosissima produces upright raceme
s of small, pink, five-petaled flowers from late summer to early autumn which cover the new wood of the plant. It is tolerant of many soil types but prefers a well drained, light or sandy soil in full sun.This plant is considered an invasive species in warmer climates (USDA Zones 8–10).
in the Southwestern United States
and Desert Region of California
, consuming large amounts of groundwater in riparian and oases habitats. The balance and strength of the native flora and fauna is being helped by various restoration projects, by removing, like noxious weeds, Tamarix groves.
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
arching shrub with reddish stems and feathery, pale green foliage.
Description
Tamarisk ramosissima is a hardy shrub or small tree native to Europe and Asia. It is a vigorous, deciduous shrub grown for its ornamental reddish stems, its showy plumes of flowers and its unusual feathery leaves. Its hardiness and tolerance for poor soil make it a popular, easy to grow shrub. It can grow up to 8 m in height and up to 5 m in width. It can be used as a screen, windbreak, informal hedge or specimen shrub.Tamarix ramosissima produces upright raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s of small, pink, five-petaled flowers from late summer to early autumn which cover the new wood of the plant. It is tolerant of many soil types but prefers a well drained, light or sandy soil in full sun.This plant is considered an invasive species in warmer climates (USDA Zones 8–10).
Invasive species
Tamarix ramosissima is a major Invasive plant speciesInvasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and Desert Region of California
Desert Region of California
The Deserts of California have unique ecosystems and habitats, a sociocultural and historical "Old West" collection of legends, districts, and communities; and a popular tourism region of dramatic natural features and recreational development...
, consuming large amounts of groundwater in riparian and oases habitats. The balance and strength of the native flora and fauna is being helped by various restoration projects, by removing, like noxious weeds, Tamarix groves.
See also
- Introduced speciesIntroduced speciesAn introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
- Invasive speciesInvasive species"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
- Category: Invasive plant species
Further reading
- CISR - Saltcedar Center for Invasive Species Research summary on Saltcedar.