Tamarisks 



317 



swaying branchlets, beset with minute pink or red, ethereal flowers. 

 They are acclimated as far north as Massachusetts. In Ottawa only 

 T. amurensis has proved half hardy. 

 They will grow in almost any soil, 

 and are especially adaptive to sea- 

 coasts, thriving in the salt spray 

 down to the very shore; they are 

 rapid growers and free from any 

 trouble. To presence their beauty, 

 which lies in the branchlets and 

 flowers, frequent, systematic prun- 

 ing is essential, and this should 

 be done at different times accord- 

 ing to the species and its flowering 

 habit, in order to ensure the throw- 

 ing out of new branches and the 

 flowers appearing on them. Other- 

 wise, the black -barked trunk and 

 the stout, straggling branches are 

 not attractive. 



The species, very much alike, 

 vary mainly in the time of flower- 

 ing, suggesting the grouping of 

 the three first mentioned for con- 

 tinuous flower effect; they also 

 group well with fine-foliaged coni- 

 fers like cypress and cedars. 



T. parviflora D. C. (Africana) 

 (330), from South Europe and 

 Africa, is the finest, with very 

 early (May, June, before leafing), 

 bright pink flowers, covering the 



somewhat drooping branches. Should be pruned soon after flower- 

 ing, since the flowers appear on branches formed in the previous 

 year. 



T. Germanica Linn. (331), with terminal red flower spikes, appear- 

 ing in summer (July), i.e., on wood of the present year, hence pruning 

 should be done in spring; can be trained to any shape. 



T. Indica Willd. {^^z)} ^^om India, with terminal flowers 



Fig. 113. — German Tamarisk. 

 Tamarix Germanica Linn. 



