Tamarisk

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Tamarix ramosissima

Colorado noxious weed · List B — Stop the spread. J-saltcedar---tamarisk

Established in some areas. Requirements vary by location: eradication, containment or suppression to stop further spread. This is a management category, separate from danger ratings. Category source · What the lists mean.

Alters riparian vegetation. Native status, garden use and noxious-weed class are separate from toxicity. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: The county covers T. chinensis and T. ramosissima together. Photos and broad saltcedar descriptions cannot reliably resolve every hybrid or species. No universal water-saving amount is inferred from removal.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.

Three views of this plant

Photos are source-identified examples, not a complete identification key. Check leaves, stems, flowers and fruit together. Locations are not assumed to be in Colorado.

Tamarix ramosissima: Slender pink flower racemes on fine twiggy branches. — **flower** — Slender pink flower racemes on fine twiggy branches.
Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Saltcedars are difficult to separate by general photographs and hybridize, especially T. ramosissima with T. chinensis in North America. These photos are source-identified T. ramosissima references; species purity is not verified from photographs.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, color change, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Tamarix ramosissima: Slender branching pink racemes spread across thin woody twigs; fine green branchlets are visible behind. — **flowering-branches** — Slender branching pink racemes spread across thin woody twigs; fine green branchlets are visible behind.
Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Saltcedars are difficult to separate by general photographs and hybridize, especially T. ramosissima with T. chinensis in North America. These photos are source-identified T. ramosissima references; species purity is not verified from photographs.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, color change, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Tamarix ramosissima: Woody shrub or small tree with a branching crown covered in pink flower clusters. — **habit** — Woody shrub or small tree with a branching crown covered in pink flower clusters.
Dr. Alexey Yakovlev · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source page scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference image, not a specimen-based taxonomic determination. Saltcedars are difficult to separate by general photographs and hybridize, especially T. ramosissima with T. chinensis in North America. These photos are source-identified T. ramosissima references; species purity is not verified from photographs.
Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no crop, color change, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

A deciduous shrub or small tree with fine, scale-like leaves and narrow clusters of tiny pink to white flowers. J-saltcedar---tamarisk

Plants & habitat

Introduced riparian plants that accumulate salt in foliage and can regrow from cut stems or roots. Restoration needs site-specific planning and follow-up. J-saltcedar---tamarisk

Evidence scope: Species-group ecology; editorial management advice.

People

Human chemical-toxicity effects were not established in this review. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Dogs & cats

Species-specific ingestion effects and exposure thresholds were not established in the reviewed sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Other animals

This review does not establish unrestricted livestock feeding safety. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Before taking action

Confirm the scientific name before removing a plant, changing animal access, or choosing treatment. An evidence gap means this review has not resolved the question. It does not mean safe. For listed weeds, consult your county weed program about the requirements for your location; follow the current label for any pesticide. S27

References

J-saltcedar---tamarisk — Saltcedar - Tamarisk, Jefferson County, Colorado. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:27:25+00:00. Locator: Description, impacts, Colorado list designation, management.

Content revised 2026-09-07 03:50:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.