How is "Salt Pine" for turning?

[Jim Stoppleworth]

Have some neighbors just come back from Arizona talking about a tree called a salt pine that was planted by the railroads to hold sand in check by the rail bed. Has anyone turned it and if so how did it turn out?

Jim

[Al Wasser]

I think they mean salt cedar, aka tamarisk. Big $ are being spent to get rid of the stuff since is replacing native ecosystems and is a water hog. I have not turned any

[Mike Vickery]

Not sure but I have never heard of salt pine. If it is Salt Cedar as Al says I have heard it is not a good turning wood but have never turned any myself.

[Paul Engle]

Salt Cedar , used for wind breaks etc , errosion control , very invasive bushy type scrub plant , as the " leaves" drop salt on the under brush killing forage off etc. found in the south west way back when . mid 1800's , not so good I would guess .

[Jim Stoppleworth]

Al and Mike,

I'm betting you are right 'cause most of what they talked about was how invasive it was and how hard it was to kill.

Thanks for the info. I'll tell them not to bother hauling any back from Arizona.

Jim