The Tamarisk tree is sometimes called the "Salt Cedar" or the "Fire Cedar," and originated in the Mediterranean.
A Mystery Tree on the Isle of Palms
![A Tamarisk tree in Israel.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f41e6ba/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x768+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwltr%2Ffiles%2F201606%2FTamarisk_Tree.jpg)
Ian Scott, via Wikimedia Commons
The Tamarisk tree is sometimes called the "Salt Cedar" or the "Fire Cedar," and originated in the Mediterranean.