Description:
Salt cedar plants are spreading shrubs or small trees, 5-20 feet tall, with numerous slender branches and small, alternate, scale-like leaves. The pale pink to white flowers are small, perfect and regular, and arranged in spike-like racemes. The distinct petals and sepals occur in fours or fives. The fruit is a capsule (Hitchcock and Cronquist 1961).

• Mechanical: Because of saltcedar’s ability to resprout from roots, many mechanical methods are largely unsuccessful. Root plowing 35 to 60 cm deep with a cutting blade equipped with fins to pull up roots and buried stems can be effective but destroys other vegetation as well (Frasier and Johnsen 1991). It is advisable to remove cut brush from a treated site (Sudbrock 1993). Effective control projects often utilize both mechanical and chemical control methods.
• Biological: A feasibility study, funded in part by the Bureau of Reclamation, has been done on the biological control of saltcedar. Research has indicated approximately a dozen insect species that might be used to fight saltcedar (Hays 1989). However, none are presently available.
• Herbicide: Studies in New Mexico have shown aerially sprayed imazapyr (Arsenal) provided 90-99 percent control of saltcedar at a cost of $85/acre. Tank mix applications of imazapyr + glyphosate (Rodeo) also provided 90-99 percnet control at a cost of as little as $60/acre (Duncan and McDaniel 1992). Frasier and Johnsen (1991) state that tebuthiuron is labeled for spot treating saltcedar as a soil application. Refer to the State Noxious Weed Control Board site

For More Information:
Detailed information about Saltcedar is available at the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board Web Site.