Herb: Tamarisk


Latin name: Tamarix ramosissima


Synonyms: Tamarix odessana, Tamarix pallasii, Tamarix pentandra


Family: Tamaricaceae (Tamarisk Family)



Edible parts of Tamarisk:

A manna is produced by the plants in response to insect damage to the stems. It is sweet and mucilaginous and is used in confectionery.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
4.5 m
(15 feet)

Flowering:
August to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Saline soils.

Other uses of Tamarisk:

Very tolerant of maritime exposure, it makes a good shelter hedge in coastal gardens. It does not like being trimmed. Plants have an extensive root system and can be used to control the erosion of sand dunes and other sandy soils.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 15 - 25cm long, planted outdoors in late autumn in a nursery bed or straight into their permanent position. High percentage.

Cultivation of Tamarisk:

Saline soils.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Tamarix ramosissima:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.