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Salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima)

Tamarisk is an introduced shrub or small tree that is naturalised in parts of Victoria, including near Kerang and Cohuna. Its ability to grow in dry or salty conditions and establish along waterways makes it important to identify and manage where it threatens native vegetation or waterway values.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Eastern Europe through Central Asia to China and Korea.

Established in: NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Saltcedar, Pink tamarisk.

Best time to act: Look for flowering plants in November and December, and inspect and treat plants before any seed has a chance to mature.

Identification

  • A grey-green shrub or small tree growing to about 6 m tall, with widely spreading branches that may droop at the tips.
  • Its small, triangular leaves are about 1.5–4 mm long.
  • Dense, spike-like flower clusters are 1.5–11 cm long and often droop; flowers are dusky pink and rarely white.
  • Flowers are usually present in November and December.
  • The fruit is a beaked, ovoid capsule up to about 6 mm long.
  • Look-alike: Athel pine (Tamarix aphylla) has jointed branchlets, with leaves reduced to a minute lobe at the rim of each segment.

Where it grows

In Victoria it is recorded near Kerang and Cohuna, and Tamarix trees along the lower Yarra River in suburban Melbourne may be planted or naturalised.

Why it matters

  • When it establishes and spreads, tamarisk can compete with native plants for space and resources.
  • Dense growth along waterways can alter riparian vegetation and reduce habitat for native species.
  • Its drought and salt tolerance can help it persist in conditions that limit some other plants.

How it spreads

  • Tamarisk can spread by seed, which may be moved by wind or water.
  • Seed production is apparently rare in Victoria, but should be checked for when inspecting plants.
  • Plant material and contaminated soil should not be moved from infested sites.

Control options

  • Remove small plants by hand or with tools, taking care to remove the roots and avoid spreading plant material.
  • For larger plants, use an appropriate physical or herbicide method, such as cut-stump treatment, only where the herbicide is registered for the situation and in accordance with its label and any site requirements.
  • Check treated sites for regrowth and new seedlings, and follow up until control is effective.
  • Report suspected new infestations to the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency or land manager.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from vehicles, machinery, boots and tools before leaving an infested site, and dispose of removed material appropriately.
  • Avoid moving contaminated soil or plant material between sites, especially along waterways.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources