Virginia Tech Dendrology

athel tamarisk Tamaricaceae Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst. symbol: TAAP
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen, very small, 1/16 inch and scale-like, gray-green.
Flower: Small (1/8 inch), light pink to lavender, numerous and occurring in narrow clusters at the ends of twigs, very attractive in bloom, appearing in spring and summer.
Fruit: Small (1/4 inch long), dry, pointed capsule containing numerous cottony seeds, maturing in late summer.
Twig: Slender, drooping, covered in scale-like foliage.
Bark: Smooth, gray or reddish brown when young, later develops flat ridges and reddish furrows, becomes very coarse and furrowed on large specimens.
Form: An upright tree with drooping twigs reaching up to 60 feet tall, dense spreading crown with several heavy large limbs.
Looks like: saltcedar - tamarisk - smallflower tamarisk - Australian pine

Additional Range Information: Tamarix aphylla is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information