Myricaria germanica
Common name
false tamarisk
Family
Tamaricaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
MYRGER
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Stony or muddy ground within braided river beds. (CHCCO-33498)
Detailed description
Evergreen woody shrub growing up to 1.5m high. Upright and multi-branched from base. Small pink flowers at ends of branches in summer. Small green leaves give it an appearance similar to common tamarisk or conifer. (CHCCO-33498)
Similar taxa
False tamarisk can look similar to young tamarisk trees (Tamarisk chinensis), but the trees have finer leaves and can grow up to 10 m tall.
Flowering
December, January, February
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Life cycle
Perennial. Appears to be quite dominant in established areas, competing with and shading other species. Another woody invasive species to be aware of especially in braided river systems. Appears to have well developed dispersal techniques - probably by wind and possibly vegetatively. May spread downstream during floods. As areas get filled up with mud or silt each stem grows up through these layers and continues growing as a new plant. (CHCCO-33498)
Year naturalised
1999
Origin
Europe
Reason for introduction
Accidental
Tolerances
Can survive flooding - may thrive under flood conditions to increase its spread. (CHCCO-33498)
Etymology
germanica: Of Germany