River oak
Casuarina cunninghamiana
Family: Casuarinaceae
What it is like
A tall spreading tree. It grows 10-30 m high. It spreads 5-15 m across. The branches tend to droop. The leaves are reduced to rings or 8-10 tiny sharp leaf-teeth at the nodes of the stems. They are dark green. Trees are separately male and female. Male flowers are short and reddish brown spikes 3-4 cm long at the end of branches. Female flowers are red and round. They occur on mature wood. The fruit are cones which are round, grey and 1 cm across. They have sharp points on them. Plants are wind pollinated.
There are about 17 Casuarina species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows near watercourses. It grows in warm temperate places and can grow in tropical regions. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It can stand frost. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, SE Asia, Southern Africa, West Indies, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves for water, seeds, gum
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed. It forms suckers. It can be grown by cuttings and air-layering.
It is a fast growing tree.
Its other names
Local names
Cemara balon, Cemara hamiana, Mvinje