What is Tamarisk, anyway?

For my blog we'll call the tamarisk 3 things...

First and foremost, a tamarisk is a type of tree. Commonly called the tamarisk its also known as a salt cedar or tamarix. They kind of look like pine trees and seem to grow well in soil with high salinity like we have here in the Coachella Valley.

They are good for wind breaks and shade and don't seem to be used much anymore. They line the railroad tracks along highway 10 and are on a lot of old ranches around the desert. From what I've read, they use a lot of ground water and cause other problems. Maybe that's why their not used much for landscaping anymore.

Secondly, its the name of a country club. Tamarisk Country Club is a private golf club located on Frank Sinatra Drive in Rancho Mirage. Established around 1952 its a very exclusive private club. It has a celebrity and kind hollywood past like many of the other clubs in the area. Its still going strong but its the kind of club to which you must be invited to join. I was invited to a tennis mixer there and my club team beat the Tamarisk team! It was great.

Thirdly, its the name of the neighborhood that surrounds Tamarisk Country Club. Roughly bounded by DaVall Drive to the west, Gerald Ford Drive to the north, Frank Sinatra Drive to the south and Bob Hope Drive to the east.

The great thing about this neighborhood is that there is a wide variety of housing stock. There some ultra exclusive high-end gated communities, "regular" city streets with houses that range in price from (right now) $155,000 to well over $1,000,000. From the area you can enjoy terrific mountain views, some golf course views, and the location can't be beat.