Casuarina cristata
| Casuarina cristata | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 39' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Native to: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Casuarina cristata
Propagation: 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[2][3].
Cultivation: Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[3]. A report for Australian gardens says that it prefers growing in dry areas but also thrives in very wet soils[2]. Fast growing[2].
This plant tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[2] although this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder wetter winters. It might succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[3].
The plant produces suckers from the roots and often forms dense groves[4].
Unlike most members of this genus, this plant does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[3].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia.
Habitat: Drier areas[2], usually on heavier soils and avoiding ridges[5].
Usage: The bark is rich in tannin[4].
Wood - very hard, not durable, takes a good polish. Mainly used for furniture and fencing, it is also a good fuel[5][4].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: C. lepidophylla.
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.