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Tamarix gallica

French tamarisk

Tamaricaceae

Western Mediterranean and southwestern Europe

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Tamarix gallica is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching 10-16 feet (3-5 m) tall, with slender, arching reddish-brown to purplish branches that give a feathery outline. The leaves are tiny, blue-green, scale-like, and 0.04-0.08 inch (1-2 mm) long, pressed against the twigs like those of a cypress. Small pink flowers about 0.06 inch (1.5 mm) across are crowded into slender spike-like clusters 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long on the current season growth, opening through summer and giving the plant a pink, plumed look. The bark darkens and roughens with age. Growth is fast, and cut or wind-damaged plants resprout readily. It tolerates salt spray, saline soils, and drought, but the brittle branches break in storms. Roots run deep and wide, drawing water from well below the surface.

Native Range

Native to the western Mediterranean and southwestern Europe, on coasts, river sands, and saline lowlands. Widely planted for shelter and on dry, salty ground elsewhere, it has naturalised in parts of western Europe and beyond, sometimes spreading along watercourses and coasts.

Suggested Uses

Used as a windbreak and shelter shrub on coasts and dry, saline sites, and as a specimen for its feathery summer plumes. Planted in informal screens spaced 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) apart, it suits seaside and gravel gardens. Its brittle wood and seeding spread limit its use near waterways and in exposed, formal settings.

How to Identify

Recognised by the feathery habit, slender reddish to purplish branches, and tiny blue-green scale-like leaves pressed to the twigs. Slim spikes of pink flowers form on the current year shoots in summer. The summer flowering on new wood separates it from spring-flowering Tamarix spp. species such as Tamarix tetrandra, which bloom on the previous year growth.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height10' - 16'

Width/Spread8' - 15'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer

Flowers through summer, mainly July to September, on shoots made in the same season. The slender pink spikes open in succession along the new growth. Flowering is heavier after a warm, dry spring and on plants in full sun. Bloom is sparse in shade or after hard pruning that removes new wood late.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

blue-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on light, sandy, sharply drained soils and tolerates salt, wind, and drought once established. It does not grow well on heavy, wet, or shaded ground, where growth is weak and open. Young plants need watering through the first summer; established plants draw on deep soil moisture. The brittle wood splits in strong wind, and storm-damaged branches resprout from the base. Plants set abundant tiny, wind-blown seed and can spread along damp, open ground and watercourses.

Pruning

Cut back hard in late winter or early spring to hold a dense, well-flowered shape, since flowers form on new wood. Plants tolerate severe pruning and regrow from old wood. Left unpruned, they become tall, sparse, and prone to wind damage.