Athel pine, Salt Cedar, athel

Tamarix aphylla, known by its common name athel in Arabic, is a shrub or small tree native to Mediterranean climatic zones from north Africa to southeast Asia. This species, which can be found throughout Saudi Arabia, reaches a height of between 6 and 15 metres. It is a fast-growing tree, sometimes confused with Casuarina equisetifolia, since both are planted on farms in the Arriyadh region as a windbreak and to demarcate fields. Its shape is often irregular, multi-stemmed and crooked. The foliage is deciduous, and from green to light grey in colour. The leaves are imbricate, entire and squamate. The pale-yellow to pale-pink flowers appear in spring. The single flower is small, but together in long racemes the flowers stand out on the branches. The fruits are small capsules with 0.5-mm seeds. Propagation is best by seed, suckers and cuttings. Tamarix aphylla has a deep, extensive root system. It grows in any soil, especially salt marshes and sandy or silty soil. This tree is highly salt-tolerant, itself exuding salt, which accumulates in crusted layers on the foliage and drips onto the ground around the tree. Prone to leaf canker and frost-resistant, T. aphylla prefers locations next to watercourses, which improves its appearance, growth and shape. It can be planted as a specimen or dominant plant, and as a hedge. For open country, it is invaluable as a windbreak, screen and as a coloniser, for slope or river bank stabilisation, hillside planting and for environmental consolidation. In certain locations, it can become invasive.