Tamarisk

A drought-tolerant tree (Tamarix aphylla and related species) native to the wadis and saline soils of the pre-Saharan zone, providing a major alternative timber to date palm. Tamarisk produces shorter, denser, more rot-resistant beams than palm and is favoured for door and window lintels, secondary rafters, and structural elements exposed to damp. Tamarisk groves were historically managed in common by oasis communities under the jma'a and the supply has been substantially reduced by salinisation, palmeraie decline, and overgrazing.