Casuarina is native to Australia and islands of the Pacific. Other common names of Casuarina are Australian-pine, beefwood, and horsetail-tree. 

 

The Casuarina Tree is a very striking and graceful tree that grows throughout the lower elevations and coast. Their foliage bears a similarity to pine needles

 

The leaves, or “teeth”, are very small and form rings at intervals along the stems, which are the chlorophyll containing and photosynthetic parts of the plant. They are wax covered and deeply grooved. Leaves are no more than scales, making the tree look more like a wispy conifer.The tree has delicate, slender ultimate branches and the plants do especially well in wind-swept locations, and are widely planted as wind-breaks, although usually not in agricultural situations.

 

Casuarina species prefer coarse-textured. They show wide latitude in their soil demands and range from dry, sandy beach ridges to wet lake margins, but they withstand inundation for short periods only. In southeastern Florida, the species are particularly prevalent on alkaline, lime stone-derived soils. They tolerate low soil fertility but are quite responsive to fertilization with phosphorus or nitrogen and phosphorus. They reach maximum development where adequate moisture is nearly always available.

 

Casuarina appears to have relatively few insect problems. The twig girdler (Oncideres cingulata) is harmful only to small trees; damage by the leaf notcher weevil (Artipus floridanus) usually is inconsequential; and one species of spittlebug (Clastoptera undulata) appears to infest individual trees but causes no serious damage. The Australian pine borer (Chrysobothris tranquebarica) has on occasion devastated trees 5 years or less in age by girdling the stems. Pests may include fruit emulating gall “coccoids” and Cuckoo Spit scale in Queensland.

 

The species have been widely used for shelterbelts and in landscaping as hedges and ornamentals. They have been frequently planted for soil stabilization near drainage ditches and lakeshores. Its cascading form may be highly suitable for appreciation and containment in hanging baskets and planter boxes. Casuarina species are a food source of the larvae of hepialid moths.

Did you know?

 

·        Casuarina equisetifolia L. is a common tropical seashore tree known as Common Ironwood.

·        The Casurina tree is a very hardy tree and is useful in protecting shorelines from tsunamis. The Casurina can withstand a tsunami wave better than coconut and a forest of Casurina can provide quite a bit of protection.