Botanical Name::Haloxylon spp
Family: Amaranthaceae
Subfamily: Salsoloideae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales
Tribe: Salsoleae
Genus: Haloxylon
Common Name: Saxaul…(According to Dmitry Ushakov, the name borrowed from the Kazakh “seksevil”. In modern Kazakh language, the shrub is called “seksewil”. According to the school etymological dictionary, the name saksaul borrowed in the XIX century from the Turkic languages.)
Habitat: Haloxylon spp is native to Southwest and Central Asia, from Egypt to Mongolia and China (Sinkiang and Kansu). It grows on sandy arid habitats (psammophyte). Harsh habitats such as moving or fixed sands, saline depressions, dry canyons, clay and rock submontane planes, rocky hill and mountain slopes and tertiary badlands
Description: Haloxylon spp is an evergreen Shrub growing to 8 m (26ft) by 6 m (19ft) at a slow rate. (rarely up to 12 metres (39 ft)) tall, with a thick trunk and many branches. The branches of the current year are green, from erect to pendant. The leaves are reduced to small scales. The inflorescences are short shoots borne on the stems of the previous year. The flowers are very small, as long or shorter than the bracteoles, bisexual or male. The two stigmas are very short. In fruit, the perianth segments develop spreading wings. The fruit with wings is about 8 millimetres (0.31 in) in diameter. The seed is about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) in diameter.
Cultivation:
Climate: cold to warm temperate. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. Haloxylon species live in harsh habitats such as moving or fixed sands, saline depressions, dry canyons, clay and rock submontane planes, rocky hill and mountain slopes and tertiary badlands. They are shrubs or small trees 1–8 metres (3–26ft) tall. The well done species are Haloxylon ammodendron (saxaul), Haloxylon aphyllum (black saxaul), and Haloxylon persicum (white saxaul). They are very important and useful native plants in the arid region from the Caspian Sea eastward across the Gobi Desert having considerable tolerance for aridity, wind, salinity and limited nitrogen. Can grow in different soil types but the root is more successful in sandy soils rather than heavily textured soils. The succulent root system acquires more water and survives drought better in sandy soils providing good anchorage in strong winds. In good conditions with some available water small forests appear. Carbon Farming Solutions – Cultivation: regional crop. Management: coppice (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation.
Medicinal Uses:
See individual species. Roots host the parasitic plant cistanche, which traditional Asian herbalists use to produce a salty-tasting medicinal component used in treating ailments of infertility, age-related lethargy, blurred vision, memory loss, baldness, balance disorders and heart palpitations. Cistanche is sometimes known as the “ginseng of the desert.”
Other Uses
It provides fodder for livestock. Its wood is a good fuel. Provides cover and forage for wildlife. The wood yields a green dye used for colouring wool yarn. Carbon Farming Solutions – Fodder: bank.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haloxylon
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Haloxylon+spp
