River she-oak

Casuarina cunninghamiana

Tall evergreen Australian native of riparian zones. Casuarinas resemble pines but are flowering plants — cone-like fruit, drooping needle-like branchlets that whisper in the wind.

Hardiness ratings

River she-oak hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 8–11 −12.2 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H4 −10 °C to −5 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 8–9 −7 °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

  • Fixes nitrogen via Frankia bacteria (actinorhizal symbiosis) rather than the Rhizobium of legumes — a non-legume nitrogen fixer
  • Salt tolerant — excellent for coastal windbreaks and saline soils
  • Fire retardant compared with most Australian natives — useful for fire-prone properties

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check River she-oak against your zones

Reference

River she-oak on Wikipedia