Casuarina equisetifolia is a deciduous tree that occurs in open, coastal habitats including sand beaches, rocky coasts, and sand dunes. Trees can grow to over 100 ft. (30.5 m) in height.

Foliage

The reddish-brown to gray bark is brittle and peels. Branchlets resemble pine needles and are very thin, 4-8 in. (10-20 cm) long, and gray-green.

Flowers

Male and female flowers are present on the same plant and are inconspicuous. Male flowers occur in terminal spikes, while the female flowers are in small, axillary clusters.

Fruit

Fruit are tiny, winged nutlets that each contain one seed. The fruits are contained in woody, cone-like structures that are 0.75 in. (2 cm) long.

Ecological Threat

Casuarina equisetifolia is native to Australia and southeast Asia and was introduced into Florida in the late 1800’s.

Citations

Rawlins, K.A., R.L. Winston, C.T. Bargeron, D.J. Moorhead, and R. Carroll. 2018. New Invaders of the Southeast. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. FHTET-2017-05. Retrieved from http://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/pdf/FHTET-2017-05_New%20Invaders_SE.pdf

Resources

• Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
• Element Stewardship Abstract - The Nature Conservancy

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alabama Invasive Plant Council
• California Invasive Plant Council
• Florida Invasive Plant Council - Plant List - Category I
• Florida Noxious Weeds
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
• New Invaders of the Southeast
• Reichard, Sarah. 1994.  Assessing the potential of invasiveness in woody plants introduced in North America. University of Washington Ph.D. dissertation.
• Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Mgmt. Area
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References