River She-Oak
Casuarina cunninghamiana
Family: Casuarinaceae
What it is like
Casuarina cunninghamiana is an evergreen Tree growing to 18 m (59ft 1in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to December. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 18
Where it is found
Usually found by freshwater streams in alluvial sands and loams. It experiences severe frosts in some parts of its range.
Australia - New South Wales, Northern Territories, Victoria.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 5
Gold, green and grey dyes are obtained from the leaves. The bark can be used as tanbark. The plant forms suckers and is a good soil stabilizer. It is much planted in Egypt for protecting roads from the sand. It is often planted along the sides of streams to protect them from erosion. In suitable climates, the plant is much used in windbreaks, shelterbelts and for land reclamation. Wood - dark, durable, closely grained, nicely marked, not as heavy as that of other members of this genus. Used for flooring, axe handles, firewood, poles etc.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Shelterbelt: Wind resistant plants than can be grown to provide shelter in the garden etc.
Soil reclamation: Plants that can be grown in such circumstances an the spoil tips of mines in order to restore fertility.
Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.
Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun. Succeeds in most soils, whether well-drained or damp, in Australian gardens. The plant is reported to tolerate acid soils, alkaline soils, calcareous soils (perhaps chlorotic), drought, muck, sand dunes, salt, weeds, and wind. Plants tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 50 to 150cm. This plant tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens although this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder wetter winters. It experiences severe frosts in parts of its range and so some provenances should succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of this country. Plants have survived temperatures of -8°C with no apparent injury. They are said to tolerate up to 50 light frosts per year. Closely related to C. glauca and often hybridises in the wild with that species. 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. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is suckering with new plants from underground runners away from the plant .
Propagating it: Seed - sow late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. 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. There are 440,000 - 550,000 seeds per kilo. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 8-11
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist