Saltcedar: A Non-Native Invasive Plant in the Western U.S

Where does it come from?

The genus Tamarix is common throughout the arid and semi-arid regions of the Old World. Weedy species in the western U.S. are native to Asia or the Mediterranean area. Athel tree was imported from India or Pakistan. Other Tamarix species are native to China, the Middle East, Africa, the Mediterranean, and even the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. There are no species native to the New World.

In the Old World, saltcedar can provide valuable shade, firewood or erosion control. Saltcedars have been purposely established in some areas of the Middle East to control wind-blown sand; the athel tree is used in the same way in the deserts of southern California. In its native range, saltcedar populations are restricted by natural pests, such as insects and diseases. These pests did not accompany saltcedars to the U.S. Thus, weedy saltcedar species can expand their range anywhere the climate is suitable.

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