Allocasuarina cunninghamiana

Description: A medium to large-sized tree growing to 35m and spreading 10m. It has dense furrowed grey-brown bark and drooping grey-green needle-like foliage.

Origin: NSW, ACT, QLD.

Cultural notes: Naturally occurring along fresh watercourses and moist swampy areas. This species prefers a sunny position in well-drained to damp soil and accepts temporary inundation.

Tolerates: Tolerant of frost, drought, damp soils and temporary inundation.

Flowering type and season: Autumn. Flower colour: The male and female flowers occur on different plants (dioecious). Male flowers are rusty red cylindrical flower spikes at the end of the branchlets. Female flowers are small red and oval in shape. Small fruiting cones are produced on the female plants.

Foliage type and colour: The foliage is made up of grey-green needle-like branchlets. The true leaves are reduced to tiny teeth-like scales at regular intervals along the branchlets.

Soil type: Prefers well-draining, moist soils. Clay and loamy soils tolerated. Most pH levels are tolerated.

Width: Up to 10m

Height: Up to 35m

Recommended uses: A handsome tree for large gardens, parks and as a street tree. This species is allelopathic (suppresses growth beneath it).