Haloxylon aphyllum

Taxobox


image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Caryophyllales
familia = Amaranthaceae
subfamilia = Chenopodioideae
genus = "Haloxylon"
species = "H. aphyllum"
binomial = "Haloxylon aphyllum"

The Black saxaul (scientific name: "Haloxylon aphyllum"), is a small tree belonging to the Amaranthaceae. It is found in continental deserts of Middle and Central Asia, including northern China, where it is a dominant plant along with the related white saxaul.

The black saxaul ranges between 4 and 10 metres in height and lacks large foliage-type leaves. It has a deep pivotal root system allowing it to thrive in dry, saline, and sandy environments. The tree is used for fuel and charcoal-making, impacting in some areas on tree numbers, and provides year-round feed for livestock. It is useful for restoring and improving desert fringe areas.

"Turcmenigena varentzovi" (Saxaul longhorn beetle, Varentsov’s longhorn beetle) is a pest of the black saxaul tree in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.