If you want to bring Mediterranean flair to your garden, the tamarisk is the best choice. Not only does it look good, it's also easy to care for.
In the gardens, plants, shrubs and trees put on a great natural spectacle with their blossoms every spring. Each individual genus plays its own distinctive role in this floral spectacle. The tamarisk (Tamarix) has a special character. With its feathery inflorescences, on which filigree pink flowers sit, it gives the shrub a southern flair. These are mainly spring tamarisks. Compared to these, there are also tamarisks that bloom in summer, the flowers of which are white to white-pink depending on the species.
Tamarisk trees generally portrayed
The home of the tamarisk is in the Mediterranean region, the Near East and Africa. Depending on the individual genera, the curved shrubs can reach heights of growth of 2 to 10 meters. The color of the flowers is also different. While the inflorescences of the spring tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora) and many species of summer tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) shine pink to pink-red, the summer tamarisk (Tamarix africana), for example, shows a white to white-pink flower pile. Its green leaves are fine and scaly, turning bright yellow in autumn.
The right location for Tamarisk
If possible, choose a sunny location for your tamarisk. A half-shady place with a sun duration of up to 4 hours is also possible. The more sunlight the plant gets, the more lush the flowers will be. However, the shrub does not tolerate stagnant heat in summer very well.
Don't worry about the ground conditions. Tamarisks thrive in almost any garden soil. However, you should work up heavy soil with plenty of sand so that it becomes permeable to water. The soil can be weakly acidic or calcareous. Even nutrient-poor soils are no problem.
How to properly plant tamarisk
Tamarisks are best planted in spring or autumn. They are particularly splendid as solitary plants. When planting you have tobut note a few things:
The shrubs are deep-rooted, so you should make sure that you loosen the planting site as deeply as possible. This allows the plant to spread well. Also remember to plan a distance to neighboring plants. This should be half of the expected growth width. You can also find information on growth width on the plant label when you bought your tamarisk.
Once you have thought of everything, you can start planting. To do this, dig out the planting hole twice the size of the root ball. Before planting, however, place the root ball in water so that it can soak up water. When planting, you should then be careful with the young shrub. The roots must not be injured, because tamarisks cannot tolerate that. Now fill the planting hole with permeable soil and water your plant vigorously.
In the weeks and months that follow, you must water the young shrub regularly. Only when the plant has grown do you no longer need to water it.
How to properly care for tamarisk
Water & fertilize:
Tamarisks are considered drought tolerant. They are therefore only watered at the base of the plant during longer periods of drought and heat. Then only water in the early morning. However, fertilizing is not required.
Pruning:
Pruning tamarisk right after flowering will prevent the plant from becoming senile and unsightly. However, a radical cut is not advisable, as the shrub will recover from it only with difficulty. In addition, tamarisk only bloom on old wood. When pruning, it is best to simply observe the following instructions:
Only thin out dead wood and stunted shoots from your shrub. You can shorten weaker and faded shoots to a strong side shoot. To achieve a good structure with young plants, cut back all shoots by half.
If you want to grow your tamarisk into a small tree, prune the shrub between October and March. To do this, first saw off the lowest side branches. However, make sure that the branch collar, the thickest base of the branch, i.e. the transition from the trunk to the branch, is not damaged. But avoid branch stumps if possible.
Summary:
Tamarisks are popular with hobby gardeners. With their southern charm, these plants are a real eye-catcher. They like a sunny spot. Your demands on the floor arefrugal. It just has to be water permeable. Young plants should be watered regularly in the first few weeks and months, later only in the event of prolonged drought. There is no fertilization. Tamarisks are cut immediately after flowering.