Other Names:  Salt Cedar

Description:

An uncommon shrub that everyone wants when it's in bloom in early spring, with gracefully arching branches covered in fuzzy lavender-pink flowers, maintains a pendulous habit throughout the year; the definition of fine-textured, this shrub is magical

Ornamental Features

French Tamarisk features airy plumes of lavender flowers along the branches from early to late spring, which emerge from distinctive rose flower buds before the leaves. It has attractive grayish green deciduous foliage. The threadlike sprays of foliage are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

French Tamarisk is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a high maintenance shrub that will require regular care and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Invasive

French Tamarisk is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

French Tamarisk will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 25 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.