Tamarix - Tamarisk

The Tamarix or tamarisk is a small tree or large bush that reaches a height and spread of 5 metres (16 feet), with slender and flexible branches adorned with very light deciduous foliage. It is very common on Mediterranean or Atlantic coasts, where it is widely used as a windbreak on the seafront, as it appreciates sandy soils that are dry on the surface but always moist at depth. Resistant to sea spray and tolerant of salty soils, the Spring Tamarisk (Tamarix tetrandra) or the Summer Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) is valued for its flexible and rounded habit, sometimes weeping in the case of the Tamarix parviflora, and its flowering in shades of pale to bright pink, invariably feathery and extremely decorative. The tamarisk roots very deeply into the soil in search of moisture. It tolerates some limestone and clay but prefers loose, light, sandy soils, even poor but deep. Easy to grow, resistant to cold and water-saving once established, this very beautiful bush requires little maintenance: it is simply pruned by half each year to the old wood for more generous flowering.