Family: Tamaricaceae
Common Name: Tamarisk

Native to western Europe and the Mediterranean region, and eastern Asia through to India, this genus consists of 54 species of mostly deciduous shrubs and small trees. With graceful, feathery foliage, some species make lovely ornamentals, while others are useful windbreaks, particularly in coastal areas. A few, once established, tolerate soil salinity and arid conditions. The small, white or pink flowers are borne on slender spikes.

Species

T. africana, zone 8, from the Canary Islands, is a bushy shrub or small tree with black to dark purple bark.

T. aphylla, athel, zone 8, is an evergreen tree with gray bark, from northern Africa and the Mediterranean. Growing to 10 m (33 ft), it has fine, grayish green foliage and pink flower spikes, borne at the branch tips. This species makes an good windbreak.

T. parviflora, zone 5, from south-eastern Europe, is a graceful shrub or small tree, with dark brown to purple bark and arching branches. Growing 5-6 m (16-20 ft) tall, it is pretty in spring, covered with masses of small, rose-pink flower spikes.

T. ramosissima (Synonym: T. pentandra), zone 2, a small tree to 6 m (20 ft), has distinctive, blue-green foliage which contrasts with the dark brown to purple stems, bark and branches. Probably the most widely grown species, it too is lovely when in flower, the rose pink blooms being borne in abun­dance during late summer.

Cultivation

Tamarix species need a sunny posi­tion and will thrive in any well-drained soil, even dry conditions. They are best pruned annually to keep them fairly low and bushy. On spring-flowering species, prune old, flowered stems back to young shoots after flowering; prune late summer-flowering species in early spring, cutting back all previous year's shoots to a permanent woody framework. Propagate from hardwood cuttings in winter.

Climate

There are species suited to various cli­matic zones.