Saltcedar
Tamaricaceae - Tamarix Family
Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.

Saltcedar is Nebraska's newest noxious weed, designated a noxious weed on January 1, 2005. It grows along rivers and streams, in salt marshes, flood plains, and lakeshores. In Nebraska, it is present on the Platte, Missouri, and Republican
Rivers. Saltcedar is a noxious weed in several states.

Saltcedar is non-native, has no natural enemies, and can quickly form a monoculture along lakes and waterways. Native riparian species are quickly displaced by saltcedar, which in turn causes displacement of native birds and animals that generally feed on seeds and leaves of native and beneficial plants. Once established the plants become so thick that cattle will not graze the area.

Saltcedar has many characteristics that make it a very aggressive plant in wetland areas. The seeds are extremely tiny and are similar in size and color to pepper. A tuft of hairs at the tip of the seed aids in dispersal by wind and water. A mature tree can produce up to 500,000 seeds per year. The seeds have a very high intial viability and can germinate as soon as 24 hours after dispersal. Seed is short-lived, however, usually remaining viable for less than a few months. Once a seed germinates, it can grow rapidly to a small flowering shrub in one to two years.

The plant quickly establishes along, woody taproot. The taproot of a mature saltcedar tree can descend as much as 50 feet into the soil profile. The root system is capable of producing many new shoots if the top growth is removed by
mechanical methods or fire.

A large saltcedar tree can absorb 200 gallons of water per day, giving heavy infestations the ability to dry up creeks and small lakes. Each year, more tall dense stands of saltcedar have the potential to use over 9 acre feet of water for every acre of infestation.

                                                             INFESTATION PICTURES

Plant Facts

Common Name : Saltcedar (tamarix, tamarisk)

Growth Form : Shrub or small tree

Life Span : Perennial

Origin : Eurasia

Flowering Dates : April - September

Reproduction : Seeds, root sprouts, buried stems

Height : 1 - 6 m ( 3.3 - 20 ft)

Inflorescence : Racene (1.5-7.5 cm long, 2.5 - 4 mm wide), numerous in panicles, flowers many; bracts triangular to narrowly trullate (longer than the pedicels), tips pointed, margins denticulate.

Flower : White to deep pink corolla, petals 5; petals obovate to broadly elliptic (1-1.8 mm long); sepals 5, green, toothed.

Fruit : Capsules, lance-ovoid (3-4 mm long), narrowed in to a beak, tuft of soft bristles at the tip, purplish-red to yellowish-green; seeds many.

Seed : Minute, tuft of hairs at the tip.

Leaves : Alternate, imbricate; blades lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate (1-4 mm long), tips pointed, margins membranaceous, bluish-green to grayish-green.

Twigs : Upright or spreading, forming thickets; bark smooth and glabrous becoming ridged and furrowed with age.

Underground : Taproot, deep, extensive.

Where Found : Western Great Plains in salt marshes, flood plains,lake shores, and along rivers and streams. Saltcedar tolerates alkaline and saline conditions.

Uses and Values: Saltcedar has little forage value for livestock or wildlife. It provides nectar and pollen for bees and nesting cover for morning doves. It is sometimes planted as an ornamental and for erosion control.

Poisonings : None.

Historical : Saltcedar was introduced into the United States in the 1820's.

Other : It uses a large amount of water, and dense stands may cause springs and small streams to dry up. Seeds of saltcedar are spread by water and wind.