Practical
Plants

Casuarina torulosa

Forest 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
15 m
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Material uses

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

Wood - tough, durable. Used for veneer and joinery, it is also a very good fuel[2][4].

Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.
Habitat
Coastal eucalyptus forests and on moist fertile soils in hilly eucalyptus forests[4]. Experiences frost and snow in the south of its range[4].
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][5].

Cultivation

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

Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[5]. Succeeds in most soils and aspects in Australian gardens[3]. 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 and wetter winters. It experiences frost and snow in parts of its native range and so some provenances should succeed outdoors at least in the mildest areas of the country[K]. 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]. A dioecious species, at least one male plant is required for every 5 - 6 females in order to produce seed[6].

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  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

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

    ↩

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