Practical
Plants

Casuarina littoralis

She Oak

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
Height
12 m
Flower type
monoecious

Uses

Material uses

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

Wood - hard, durable. Used for veneer and joinery, it is also an excellent fuel[4].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania.
Habitat
Sandy coastal heaths[5], especially on poor sandstone soils[4]. Widespread on heath and in open forests[6].
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
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
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[2]. 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][5].

Cultivation

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

Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[5]. This species is often found growing in poor dry soils in the wild[4][5]. Judging by the plants native habitat, it is likely to tolerate maritime exposure[K]. This species is not very frost tolerant, but it might succeed outdoors in the milder maritime areas of the country[5]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[3][5]. The bark is rarely corky, in spite of its synonym (suberosa means corky)[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  4. Holliday. I. and Hill. R. A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Frederick Muller Ltd. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-85179-627-3

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  6. Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001

    ↩

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