Australian pine

Profile

Family

Casuarinaceae

Habit

Tree

Height

30 m

Spread

8 m

Growth

very fast

Lifespan

100 years

First yield

after 3 years

Hardiness

zone 9–12

Shade tolerance

light shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay

Soil moisture

very dry – very wet

pH

7 – 9

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Other uses: Other uses: Very tall (5/5). Coastal, windbreak, coastal protection, hedges, topiary, xerophytic. Agroforestry use: Being salt-tolerant and growing in sand, the plant is used for erosion control along coastlines, estuaries, riverbanks, and waterways. In Sarawak, Indonesia, it is protected for its role in coastal erosion control. Areas where the species naturally occurs are prone to tropical cyclones or typhoons, and its general tolerance to strong winds has promoted its use in shelterbelt plantations. The abundance of highly branched twigs remarkably absorbs wind energy. In areas with hot, dry winds, the tree protects crops and livestock. Approximately 1 million hectares of shelterbelts have been established along coastal dunes in South China. The tree fixes atmospheric nitrogen and can grow vigorously in barren, polluted sites and thrive in deep sandy soils. Therefore, it is often planted for land reclamation and improvement. It is excellent for boundary planting, as it does not intercept much sunlight and provides significant amounts of green leaf litter and several other products when pruned. It is also easily pruned and can be used as a hedge. With high productivity and soil fertility-enhancing properties, it shows promising results as an agroforestry tree for arid and semi-arid areas. For example, experiments in Prabhunagar, India, showed that citrus trees grew larger under this tree than in pure stands. Other uses: The bark contains 6-18% tannins. These are used for preserving ropes, etc., and also contain a red pigment that can be used as a dye. The tree provides heavy hardwood with an air-dry density of 900-1000 kg/cbm. The heartwood is pale red, pale brown to dark reddish-brown, moderately to sharply demarcated from the sapwood, which is yellowish or pale yellow-brown with a pinkish sheen. The grain is straight, slightly interlocked, or wavy; the texture is fine to moderately fine and uniform. Shrinkage is moderate to very high, and in the latter case, the wood is difficult to dry due to severe warping and splitting. The wood is hard to very hard and strong. The heartwood is highly resistant to pressure treatment, but the sapwood is suitable for such treatment. The heartwood is also resistant to drywood termites. The wood is used for house posts, roof beams, power poles, tool handles, oars, wagon wheels, and mining props. The wood is used for making pulp for paper using neutral sulfate and semi-chemical processes, as well as a raw material for viscose fibers. The highly esteemed wood ignites easily, even when green, and the ash retains heat for a long time. The calorific value of the wood is 5,000 kcal/kg and that of charcoal exceeds 7,000 kcal/kg. It has been used as both domestic and industrial fuel, e.g., for railway locomotives. In Asia, foliage from plantations is often used as fuel.

Origin & habitat

Thrives in poor soils but does best in well-draining, sandy soils.

Verträgt arme Böden, gedeiht jedoch am besten in gut durchlässigen, sandigen Böden.