Tamarix aphylla

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davidwyby

davidwyby

Desert Beaver
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El Centro, CA (East of Sandy Eggo)
I have cut it and milled it, only recently have I found it red. It’s usually only red under the bark. Maybe something to do with the fire. The smaller ones around it are blond wood. Slightly different species, more of a large bush. They are the invasive ones. Aphylla gets big and is a decent tree IMO. Maybe similar to cottonwood.
 
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All depends on the desired use. My main point is shade (very valuable here) and windbreaks, erosion control. They do tend to shed large limbs if not kept up with. They are generally disliked and therefore not cared for and become a mess.

In their native countries they are used for lumber and firewood. We are spoiled here with Doug fir and oak, eucalyptus. AKA Athel Tree or Athel pine. Smokes when used for firewood and is pungent. I found that splitting it smaller helps it burn hotter and cleaner.
 
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We have tons of it around. The little guys I’d say yeah and there isn’t much use for them. Aphylla doesn’t spread much, tends to stay where planted for wind breaks. They do “ooze” out into larger areas, but don’t seem to spread by seeds much like the little ones that choke river bottoms.

I like ‘em cuz nobody else does and so they are good fodder for my saws and tree felling practice, etc.
 
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If people would just maintain the aphylla, they would be decent trees, but they ignore them until they get too big and then bash the limbs off with an excavator which makes a huge tangled mess and a lot of deadwood. The trunk just gets pissed and grows harder.
They are great for camping. They supply fuel, bedding, shelter from sun and wind.
 
Fragments move around and drift in water, then root

I was killing it at the extensive high- water mark of Lake Mead, the spillway height.
 
I couldn't say.

We were killing aphylla, not cutting out down. Trees were frilled/ girdled and herbicide was administered, leaving trees standing for habitat and to avoid navigational hazards, should Lake Mead every fill again, and be able to float away dead trees.
 
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