Seasonal Wild Flowers

Tamarisk

Tamarix gallica

Tamaricaceae

July to October (some varieties flower earlier)

It is found the coast, south of Cumbria in the West and

south of the Humber in the East.

See the BSBI distribution map for Tamarisk

It is a neophyte which has been planted since the 1590s

as a decorative, wind resistant shrub by the coast. It has

been known in the wild since the 1790s..

Inland, garden escapes grow on waste land.

Tamarisk is a salt-tolerant, wind resistant, deciduous,

suckering, spreading shrub, growing up to 3m.

The flowers are 3mm across, with 5 pink petals, 5

stamens - alternating with the petals, and 3 styles.

The styles are united below to form one thick style

with 3 stigmas sticking out of the top.

Flower buds are globose.

Leaves are small and scale-like.

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Tamarisk, Chesil beach, Dorset

Flowering stems

Petals, styles and stamens

Leaves and globular flower buds

Tamarisk hedge, Chesil, Dorset