California Invasive Plant Council

Tamarix chinensis

Synonyms: Tamarix juniperina, Tamarix pentandra

Common names: Chinese tamarisk, fivestamen tamarisk

Tamarix chinensis (Chinese tamarisk) is a shrub or a tree (family Tamaricaceae) and can be found along streams and lake shores, throughout California. Tamarix chinensis is associated with dramatic changes in geomorphology, groundwater availability, soil chemistry, fire frequency, plant community composition, and native wildlife diversity. It may also hybridize with Tamarix gallica or Tamarix ramosissima.

Cal-IPC Rating: High?

Explanation of Cal-IPC ratings

• High – These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal and establishment. Most are widely distributed ecologically.
• Moderate – These species have substantial and apparent-but generally not severe-ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal, though establishment is generally dependent upon ecological disturbance. Ecological amplitude and distribution may range from limited to widespread.
• Limited – These species are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide level or there was not enough information to justify a higher score. Their reproductive biology and other attributes result in low to moderate rates of invasiveness. Ecological amplitude and distribution are generally limited, but these species may be locally persistent and problematic.
• Alert – An Alert is listed on species with High or Moderate impacts that have limited distribution in California, but may have the potential to spread much further.
• Watch – These species have been assessed as posing a high risk of becoming invasive in the future in California.

CDFA Rating: -*?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Special Reports

Weed Management Notes

• Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Alliance forms to guide tamarisk biocontrol in California. Norelli, Nicole. Vol 25, Issue 1
• Biological control of invasive exotic pest plant species: A report on the importance of maintaining and enhancing our nation’s biological control capabilities. CalEPPC. Vol 03, Issue 3
• Slow-motion explosion: The exponential spread of exotic species. Schneider, David. Vol 02, Issue 3
• California Exotic Pest Plant Council draft list exotic plants of greatest concern October 1993. CalEPPC. Vol 01, Issue 4

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• Biological control agents of weeds in California: Overview of rearing, releases, and monitoring by the CDFA Biological Control Program. Moran, Patrick (2023)
• Complexity, constraints, and challenges of herbicidal and biological tamarisk treatment in the Mojave River watershed. Lair, Ken; Bell, Chuck; Lindgren, Jackie; Dudley, Tom (2020)
• Distribution and spread of tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda spp.) and their known and predicted effects on riparian ecosystems. Bloodworth, Ben (2020)
• Complexity, constraints and challenges of tamarisk treatment in the Mojave River watershed. Lair, Kenneth; Bell, Chuck; Lindgren, Jackie (2017)
• Native riparian revegetation success in controlled tamarisk and non-tamarisk sites in the Mojave River watershed, California. Lair, Kenneth (2017)
• Past, present, and future: Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and biological control in California. Norelli, Nicole (2017)
• California Alliance for Tamarisk Biocontrol – Biological Control with the Tamarisk Leaf Beetle (Diorhabda spp.). Norelli, Nicole; Dudley, Tom (2016)

Other Tamarix chinensis Information

• Bugwood - National database from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.

Additional photos