We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Casuarina verticillata - Lam.

Common Name Drooping she-oak
Family Casuarinaceae
USDA hardiness 8-11
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Calcareous sands by the coast, inland on poor rocky soils and on sand overlying clay[167].
Range Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Casuarina verticillata Drooping she-oak


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KENPEI
Casuarina verticillata Drooping she-oak
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KENPEI

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of cone
Casuarina verticillata is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft 10in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in leaf all year. 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, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

C. stricta. Ait. Allocasuarina verticillata.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Secondary; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Wood

Wood - tough[146, 156].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[200]. Often found in poor dry soils in the wild[167]. Succeeds in most soils and aspects in Australian gardens. Tolerates salt spray and maritime exposure. Tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[157] although this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. It should succeed outdoors in the mildest maritime areas of this country. 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[157]. 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 [2-1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - sow late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[138]. 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[157, 200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

AUSTRALASIA: Australia, New South Wales, South Australia (south), Victoria,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Allocasuarina littoralisBlack She Oak, Bull Oak, WayetuckTree8.0 9-11 FLMHNM104
Casuarina cristataBelahTree12.0 8-11 FLMHNDM003
Casuarina cunninghamianaRiver She-OakTree18.0 8-11  LMHNDM005
Casuarina equisetifoliaShe Oak, Common Ru, Australian Pine, Horsetail CasuarinaTree30.0 9-12 FLMHSNDM125
Casuarina glaucaSwamp Oak, Gray sheoakTree18.0 8-11  LMNDM103
Casuarina littoralisShe Oak, Black she-oakTree8.0 8-11  LMHNDM003
Casuarina oligodonShe-oak, kiluTree25.0 10-12 MLMHNM004
Casuarina torulosaForest OakTree15.0 8-11  LMHNDM003

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Lam.

Botanical References

200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Casuarina verticillata  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.