Tamarix chinensis Seeds | Chinese Tamarisk
LATIN NAME: Tamarix chinensis
COMMON NAME: Chinese Tamarisk
Plant Profile
Tamarix chinensis, commonly known as Chinese Tamarisk, is a deciduous shrub. Over seasons it steadily builds a rounded crown, standing 5-10 metres at maturity. It does well in full sun and well-drained, sandy ground. The blooms are worked steadily by bees for as long as they are open. It is hard to name another plant that gives this much for this little trouble.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Tamarix chinensis, a representative of the Tamarix group with clear practical value. The Chinese tamarisk has a rich and sometimes controversial record in research. Little about its garden performance is mysterious; it has been grown and observed for a very long time.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Chinese Tamarisk for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, the Chinese tamarisk is a plant of tough places. Its feathery pink flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its dense growth gives shelter for birds, and it stabilises soil on riverbanks, salt flats and wind-blown ground where few plants can grow. Its economic value lies mainly in shelter and reclamation. It establishes readily and then requires nothing out of the ordinary.
Tamarisk is a salt-tough windbreak tree for coasts and deserts, its galls a traditional tannin source.
Growing from Seed
Chinese Tamarisk is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Growing a Chinese tamarisk from seed is easy and rewarding. Pot seedlings on as they grow and plant them out in full sun, in almost any soil, even salty or waterlogged ground, where they will thrive. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Its role in herbal practice, noted above, adds depth to an already garden-worthy plant. It is a solid representative of the Tamarix group, true to type from seed. Given full sun and free drainage, it asks for little routine attention.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Chinese Tamarisk often pair it with these related subjects: