ALLOCASUARINA cunninghamiana - River She Oak

An attractive native tree with a spreading habit and fine needle-like foliage to ground level.
The female trees produce small rounded fruits containing the seed. Flowering occurs from February to March
A good tree for river banks and waterways. Useful for soil retention and erosion control.

Endemic to the eastern coast of Australia.

Prefers light to medium soil in an open sunny position. Drought and frost resistant and salt tolerant.

Note: Previously known as Casuarina cunninghamiana before being renamed Allocasuarina cunninghamiana.

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn in temperate climates, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 22-25°C for this species.

1. Sow seed on the surface of a porous seed raising mix.
2. Sprinkle a very light covering of the seed raising mix over the seed to hold the seed in place. Do not bury the seed too deeply.
3. Water with fine mist spray to avoid disturbance of the seed.
4. Place in a warm shaded or semi-shaded position to avoid dying out.
5. Keep warm & moist, and avoid drying out or waterlogging the growing mix.
6. Germination generally occurs in around 14-28 days in the right conditions.

General note: Seeds of many natives are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they were discarded.