Saltcedar is invasive to riparian areas of arid lands in the western United States, including parts of eastern Washington.

Legal status in King County, Washington

Regulated Class B noxious weed. Property owners in King County are required to control this plant if it occurs on their property. This species of saltcedar is also on the Washington quarantine list (known as the prohibited plants list) and it is prohibited to transport, buy, sell, offer for sale, or to distribute plants or plant parts, seeds in packets or blends of this species, into or within the state of Washington.  For more information on noxious weed regulations and definitions, see Noxious weed lists and laws.

Identification

The foliage of saltcedar somewhat resembles a cedar tree, but it has pink to rose colored flowers in the spring and throughout the summer. Originally introduced as a wind block for homesteads, saltcedar taproots can extend 60 meters in search of water. Capable of producing hundreds of thousands of seeds per plant, saltcedar is very hard to remove from arid lands once it establishes.

Additional information on saltcedar

• Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board (external link)

What to do if you find this plant in King County, Washington

 

Please notify us if you see saltcedar growing in King County. Our program staff can provide the property owner or appropriate public agency with site-specific advice on how best to remove it. Also, because saltcedar is not established in King County, we have an opportunity to stop it from spreading if we act quickly. We map all known locations of regulated noxious weeds such as saltcedar in order to help us and others locate new infestations in time to control them.

Saltcedar photos

 

Report saltcedar in King County, Washington

• Please notify us through our online infestation form

Locate saltcedar in King County, Washington

• Use our interactive noxious weed map and search for saltcedar

Related information

• Agriculture in King County, Washington
• Northwest yard and garden
• Animals, plants and habitat

Related agencies

• Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks
• Water and Land Resources Division

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Program offices are located at 201 S. Jackson St., Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98104. To contact staff, see the Noxious Weed Control Program Directory, send an email, or call 206-477-WEED (206-477-9333).