Flower spikes and stems. Australian Plant Image Index, photo: Murray Fagg, Oolambeyan National Park east of Hay, NSW

Flowers. Australian Plant Image Index, photo: Murray Fagg, Oolambeyan National Park east of Hay, NSW

Trees. Photo: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt

Trees. Australian Plant Image Index, photo: CG Wilson, Finke river, NT

Common Name

Athel Pine, Athel Tree, Athel Tamarix

Family

Tamaricaceae

Notes

Shrub or tree to 12m tall. Leaves scale-like, alternating up the stems, 1-2mm long. Male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers often small (less than 3mm across), pink to white, with 5 small petals, in spikes along the stems. A weed of national significance. Noxious weed all of NSW. Declared plant SA. Noxious weed Vic.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Tamarix~aphylla

Weeds of Australia Biosecurity Queensland Edition description:  http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Tamarix_aphylla.htm