Salt Cedar

Saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. Tamarisk family
Key identifying traits Flowers are pale pink to white with 5 petals Many tiny flowers are in each finger-like cluster at branch tips Leaves look like cedar and are small and scale like on highly branched slender stems May have appearance of a shrub or a small tree Bark on saplings and stems is reddish-brown Biology and ecology Grows as deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, 5 to 20 feet tall Both T. ramosissima and T. parviflora are used as ornamentals, but have escaped and naturalized along streams, canals, and reservoirs in the west Aggressive colonizer forming single species stands in riparian areas of arid landscapes Secretes salt inhibiting growth of other plants Extensive root system combined with a high evapotranspiration rate can cause lowered ground water levels and dry up springs and marshy areas Control Prevention – Learn to identify plants; know your property; beware of fill dirt and seed from outside your area—Be careful with introduced ornamentals Biological – None known at this time Cultural – Competitive vegetative cover helps but cannot prevent spread in susceptible sites Mechanical – Repeated digging can be effective Chemical – Several herbicides are effective at label rates but care must be used around moist areas; The PNW Weed Management Handbook does not list Salt cedar for specific chemical recommendations


*Where found –* Ornamental plantings, usually single plants, of both T. ramosissima and T. parviflora have been noted here and there throughout Stevens County in residential areas. No confirmed escapes and naturalization known at this time, but wet sites within our more arid areas are potential locations for infestation. MSdoc PDF