Dec 16, 2025
#3410 - Tamarix sp. - Tamarisk
There are three species of Tamarisk in Australia - Athel pine (Tamarix aphylla), Tamarisk (T ramosissima) and Smallflower tamarisk (T parviflora). All three are introduced and highly invasive. The first of those three, at least, is a native of arid and semi-arid northern Africa and western and southern Asia, and widely planted across arid Australia as a shade and windbreak tree. It thrives in alkaline and saline soils, which is probably why this one was doing so well on Penguin Island.