Tropical and subtropical pioneer she-oak of coastal sands across the Australian, Pacific, and Indian Ocean tropics. Tall, narrow, salt- and wind-tolerant — among the great pioneer beach windbreak species.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 9–12 | −6.7 °C to 15.6 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H2 | 1 °C to 5 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 4–7 | 0 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Premier tropical coastal windbreak — salt tolerant, wind tolerant, tolerates pure sand, fixes nitrogen via actinorhizal Frankia bacteria like other Casuarinas
- Distinct from the river she-oak Casuarina cunninghamiana (already in the database as `she-oak`) — coastal she-oak is the tropical coastal species, river she-oak is the inland riverbank species
- WARNING: Listed INVASIVE in southern Florida, Hawaii, and parts of the Caribbean — has displaced native dune and beach communities, do not plant outside its native range in those regions
- Whispering needle-like foliage in even the lightest breeze — gives the genus the Australian common name "she-oak" (for its supposed similarity to the wind in an English oak)
- Not reliably hardy outdoors in Canada — Canadian zone values shown represent the system maximum and do not imply garden cultivation north of the warmest coastal pockets.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Coastal she-oak against your zones