Taxonomy

Saltcedar is a small evergreen shrub or tree that grows up to 20 feet tall at maturity and forms dense thickets. The bark is soft and reddish-brown in color on younger branches. As the plant grows, the bark becomes brownish purple.

Saltcedar has very small, scale-like leaves that are grayish-green in color from salts that are secreted from leaf glands.

Each plant produces thousands of tiny flowers that range in color from purplish-pink to white.

The seeds are very small with tufts of silky hair that allow them to disperse long distances by water and wind.