{"product_id":"nitraria-retusa-salt-tree","title":"Nitraria retusa - Salt Tree","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eNitraria retusa\u003c\/strong\u003e, commonly known as the Salt Tree or Ghardaq, is a spiny, densely branched halophyte shrub of coastal sabkha and saline depressions across north Africa and Arabia. It carries small, thick, wedge-shaped fleshy leaves in clusters along rigid spiny branches, with small white flowers followed by juicy red berries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt traps windblown sand around its base and builds low natural hummocks, which makes it an effective self-organising stabiliser on open saline coast. It is used for coastal sabkha restoration, sand trapping and native saline shrub mass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight\u003c\/strong\u003e: 1 to 2 metres, sometimes taller where it has built a sand hummock beneath itself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth\u003c\/strong\u003e: 1.5 to 3 metres\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to\u003c\/strong\u003e: North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant, on coastal sabkha and saline depressions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage\u003c\/strong\u003e: Small, thick, wedge-shaped fleshy grey-green leaves clustered along spiny branches; evergreen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth rate\u003c\/strong\u003e: Moderate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConditions\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil\u003c\/strong\u003e: Accepts strongly saline, alkaline, sandy and silty soils; grows on ground that crusts with salt\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight\u003c\/strong\u003e: Full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater\u003c\/strong\u003e: Very low; strongly drought-tolerant and able to use saline groundwater\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClimate\u003c\/strong\u003e: Thrives in hot arid coastal and inland saline regions and is fully adapted to Gulf conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdditional Features\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm\u003c\/strong\u003e: Low spiny mound that traps windblown sand and builds a natural hummock over time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers\u003c\/strong\u003e: Small white to cream flowers in loose clusters, followed by fruit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit\u003c\/strong\u003e: Juicy red berries, edible and taken heavily by birds and desert mammals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses\u003c\/strong\u003e: Coastal sabkha restoration, sand trapping and stabilisation, native saline shrub mass, boundary planting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing\u003c\/strong\u003e: Plant 2 to 3 metres apart for a continuous stabilising stand\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow Maintenance\u003c\/strong\u003e: Requires no routine care once established\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePest Resistance\u003c\/strong\u003e: Free of significant pest and disease problems\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSalt Tolerance\u003c\/strong\u003e: Very high, one of the defining shrubs of Gulf and Red Sea sabkha\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrought Tolerance\u003c\/strong\u003e: Very high, holding evergreen foliage on saline groundwater through the dry season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWildlife Attraction\u003c\/strong\u003e: The red berries are taken heavily by coastal birds and desert mammals through the fruiting season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eErosion Control\u003c\/strong\u003e: Actively traps windblown sand and builds hummocks that stabilise open saline ground\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Salt Tree does not simply survive on sabkha, it builds the ground it stands on, which is exactly what a coastal restoration scheme needs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ornatec International","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46452566327492,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0659\/0493\/5108\/files\/placeholder-shrub_9c91d0ca-e7b1-4aa3-9816-b243caec10cb.png?v=1785211283","url":"https:\/\/ornatecinternational.com\/products\/nitraria-retusa-salt-tree","provider":"Ornatec International","version":"1.0","type":"link"}