Tamarix aphylla (L.) H. Karst.
أثل، طرفه، عربر، بان، طرفال، عرير
For people
- Eaten by people
- Not edible
- Toxic to people
- Unknown
For livestock
- Grazed by livestock
- Limited fodder
- Toxic to livestock
- Not toxic
Edibility and safety notes
Not a food plant: the scale-like leaves and twigs are salty and are not eaten by people. The only food use reported is the sweet manna-like exudate that sometimes forms on the twigs, eaten or used to sweeten water in the Sahara; this is not an Omani custom. No hazards to people are recorded, but its safety has not been properly studied. Camels and goats browse the tender branches, especially in the dry season; the foliage is very salty, so animals feeding on it need extra drinking water.
This guide is a hobby project, not expert advice. Never eat a wild plant, or feed it to animals, on the strength of this page alone. Read the disclaimer
Description
The largest known Tamarix species, an evergreen tree reaching up to 18 m tall with a rounded spreading crown of heavy stout branches and long drooping twigs. Tiny alternately arranged leaves exude salt forming crusted layers. Has a deep taproot system.
Habitat
Along watercourses in arid areas. Very resistant to saline and alkaline soils. Found in arid and semi-arid subtropics and tropics at elevations up to 1400 m.
Distribution
Native across North, East, and Central Africa, through the Middle East, and into parts of Western and Southern Asia. Widely planted and sometimes invasive in other arid regions worldwide.
Pastoral value
Browsed, especially by camels and goats; the tender branches and leaves are useful forage in the dry season, but their high salt content means animals need extra water. Also valued as a shade tree for livestock.
Other uses
Widely planted as a windbreak and shade tree, for stabilising sand dunes and reclaiming saline land. The hard, strong wood is used for ploughs, tool handles, furniture, firewood and charcoal, and the twigs for basketry. The flower galls and bark are rich in tannin and are used for tanning leather and as a dye mordant. The flowers yield a dark honey. Traditionally the galls are used as an astringent and gargle and the bark for eczema and other skin complaints.
Sources
- الدليل الحقلي المصور للنباتات البرية في سلطنة عُمان (BOOK.pdf p.193)
- World Agroforestry Centre Agroforestree Database - Tamarix aphylla — apps.worldagroforestry.org
- Useful Temperate Plants - Tamarix aphylla — temperate.theferns.info
- POWO - Tamarix aphylla (L.) H.Karst. — powo.science.kew.org
- Livestock Research for Rural Development 27(3) 2015 - nutritive value of halophytes grazed by camels (incl. Tamarix aphylla) — lrrd.org