tamarisk

American  

[tam-uh-risk] / ˈtæm ə rɪsk /

noun

1. any Old World tropical plant of the genus Tamarix, especially T. gallica, an ornamental Mediterranean shrub or small tree having slender, feathery branches.

2. a shrub or small tree, Tamarix chinensis, of Eurasia, having scalelike leaves and clusters of pink flowers, naturalized in the southwestern U.S., where it has become a troublesome weed.

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tamarisk British  

/ ˈtæmərɪsk /

noun

1. any of various ornamental trees and shrubs of the genus Tamarix, of the Mediterranean region and S and SE Asia, having scalelike leaves, slender branches, and feathery clusters of pink or whitish flowers: family Tamaricaceae

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Etymology

Origin of tamarisk

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tamariscus, from Late Latin, variant of Latin tamarīc-, stem tamarix; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Tamarix aphylla, or athel tamarisk, is a halophytic desert shrub, meaning it can survive in hypersaline conditions.

From Science Daily • Oct. 30, 2023

Fed by spring water — unusual for the Salton Sea — these areas are now home to small shorebirds who flit about pools of water amid grasses and invasive tamarisk.

From New York Times • Feb. 25, 2023

Camels and sheep graze in a landscape dotted with tamarisk and persimmon trees in scenes unchanged from 2,000 years ago, and some clerics say that is how it should stay, insisting on the site's sanctity.

From Reuters • Dec. 14, 2022

Exacerbating the problem are invasive non-native plants such as the tamarisk and Russian olive tree.

From Washington Times • Sep. 23, 2022

Although in an understandable hurry to incinerate the magazines, Vincent paused for a moment to stare at a tiny yellow-breasted warbler flitting about in the green mist of the left-hand tamarisk tree.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols