Common Name: Forest Oak

General Information

Allocasuarina torulosa is a slender, evergreen tree with a fairly open, narrow crown; usually growing up to 15 - 20 metres tall, but can be up to 30 metres tall in favourable sites[].
The plant is utilized from the wild for its timber. It is also grown to provide shelter and as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.

Habitat

Coastal eucalyptus forests and on moist fertile soils in hilly eucalyptus forests[]. Coastal hills and ranges as understorey in open forest to tall open-forest, in a wide range of soils[]. Found at elevations from sea level to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Allocasuarina torulosa can be found from the warm temperate to the tropical zones. It succeeds in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the range 12 - 27°c, with the mean for the hottest month 25 - 30°c and the coolest month 0 - 15°c. It can tolerate occasional, short-lived temperatures down to about -5°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 950 - 2,000mm[].
The plant requires a well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[]. Succeeds in most soils from heavy clays to sandy loams[, ]. Succeeds in quite acid soils, but dislikes alkaline conditions[]. Species in this genus usually grow wild in soils markedly deficient in nutrients[].
A relatively slow-growing tree[].
Trees can resprout after fire[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[, ].
A dioecious species, at least one male plant is required for every 5 - 6 females in order to produce seed[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Fairly wind-resistant, it can be grown as a shelterbelt[].

Other Uses

The wood is tough, heavy and durable. It is used for making high quality shingles, flooring, parquetry, cabinetwork, veneer and joinery[, , , ]. Attractively marked, it has the potential for making speciality furniture[, ].
The wood is a very good fuel and makes a high-grade charcoal[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - does not require pre-treatment[]. Sow late winter to early summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed[]. Germination starts in about 7 days at 25°c[]. 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[, ].