These delicately branched shrubs or small trees have extremely tiny leaves and tiny pink flowers. Although commonly grown as ornamentals, these species are extremely detrimental in arid environments where they occupy lake banks and stream courses and `suck them dry.` It has been reported that an acre of this species can draw as much as 11 acre feet of water out of the ground in a single year. Salts taken up with the water are deposited in the leaves (hence the common name), which are then shed, poisoning all other surrounding vegetation and leading to monocultural stands of saltcedar. The most common of the invasive species is T. chinensis (= T. ramosissima), but there are several other very similar species. See the excellent descriptions in Weeds of California and other Western States. All plants in this genus found growing where not initially planted should be considered invasive and reported to local weed control authorities..
