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Common Name: Belah

General Information

Casuarina cristata is a Evergreen Tree up to 12.00 metres tall.
It has miscellaneous uses.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia.

Habitat

Drier areas[], usually on heavier soils and avoiding ridges[]. Usually found in clayey grey or brown soils with calcareous nodules near the surface[].

Properties

Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[]. A report for Australian gardens says that it prefers growing in dry areas but also thrives in very wet soils[]. Fast growing[].
This plant tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[] 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[].
This species is dioecious - both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required[].
The plant produces suckers from the roots and often forms dense groves which can be all of one clone[, ].
Unlike most members of this genus, this plant does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The bark is rich in tannin[].
Wood - very hard, not durable, takes a good polish. Mainly used for furniture and fencing, it is also a good fuel[, ].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[]. 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, mid summer in a frame[, ].