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

Cal-IPC Assessment

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
• New pest-disease complex threatens California forests. Lynch, Shannon; Eskalen, Akif; Gilbert, Gregory S.. Vol 24, Issue 2
• WMAs, who needs ‘em? The low desert, for one. Sweet, Lynn C.. Vol 24, Issue 2
• 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.

• 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

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