Introduction, spread, and areal extent of saltcedar (Tamarix) in the Western States

Abstract

Saltcedar, the name generally applied to two exotic deciduous species of the genus Tamarix, was introduced into this country more than 100 years ago and has, in the last 30 years, become very much of a nuisance plant in the arid and semiarid regions of the Western States. The species are highly water-consuming, salt-tolerant, naturalizing shrubs that have escaped from cultivation and spread rapidly from one stream valley to another.