tamarisk, Tamarix parviflora

Oops! Here's another invasive! Tamarisk or saltcedar was for sale in New York as early as 1823. In bloom, they are certainly beautiful. But their roots go deep into the ground and suck up much more than their share of the water. That gives them a significant advantage over other plants, particularly in the dry southwest. They now infest millions of acres in the west, and are a prominent target for invasive removal. When I queried sale of tamarisk, only one offering in North Carolina came up. So we do seem to be slowly learning. Tamarisk now has been reported from AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, and WA. Cultivated, Lenawee Co MI, 5/24/11. Tamarisk family, Tamaricaceae.