Practical
Plants

Casuarina cristata

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Casuarina genus in the family Casuarinaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
12 m
Flower type
monoecious

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark is rich in tannin[5]. Wood - very hard, not durable, takes a good polish. Mainly used for furniture and fencing, it is also a good fuel[2][5].

Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia.
Habitat
Drier areas[3], usually on heavier soils and avoiding ridges[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[3][4].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[4]. A report for Australian gardens says that it prefers growing in dry areas but also thrives in very wet soils[3]. Fast growing[3]. This plant tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[3] although this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder wetter winters. It might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[4]. The plant produces suckers from the roots and often forms dense groves[5]. Unlike most members of this genus, this plant does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[4].

References

  1. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩

  2. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-00-216441-8

    ↩1↩2

  3. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

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