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She-oaks and Casuarinas

She-oaks are some of the toughest native trees there are. Their fine, needle like branchlets sigh in the wind, they grow on dunes, river banks, salty flats and stony ridges, and they improve poor soil as they grow. This range covers the tall species for windbreaks and shelter, smaller she-oaks that feed black cockatoos, and Cousin It, a ground hugging form grown for its shaggy, trailing foliage. Every plant is delivered Australia wide.

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How to choose a she-oak

Match the species to the site. River she-oak is the largest, to about 15m, and is the one for creek banks and farm shelter belts. Coastal she-oak grows to 12m on beach front sand and takes salt spray directly. Swamp she-oak tolerates salty and waterlogged ground. The smaller black she-oak and drooping she-oak reach 7m to 8m; their cones are a main food of glossy black cockatoos. Cousin It is the odd one out: a prostrate form of Casuarina glauca about 30cm high that spreads 2m and spills over walls and pot rims. Greenwave is another compact, bushy selection of the same species.

Where she-oaks work

Use the trees where conditions are hard: exposed coast, windy paddocks, eroding banks, poor sandy or saline soil. They grow in full sun across most of Australia and take drought and frost once established. Fallen branchlets form a soft mulch that suppresses weeds. Cousin It suits rockeries, retaining walls, large pots and native gardens. See more in plants for windbreaks and our full range of Australian native trees.

Planting and spacing

For a windbreak, plant trees 3m to 4m apart in one or two staggered rows. Keep the large species 8m or more from buildings, drains and paving. Plant Cousin It about 1.5m apart for ground cover. Water weekly through the first summer; after that most need none.

Care basics

She-oaks need almost no care. Do not feed them heavily: their roots fix nitrogen, and a little native fertiliser at planting is enough. Remove low branches if you want a clear trunk. Cousin It can be trimmed at the edges and benefits from sharp drainage. For exposed seaside sites, pair them with other coastal and salt tolerant plants.

Common questions

How fast do she-oaks grow?

Fast. River she-oak and coastal she-oak can put on a metre or more a year when young.

Do she-oaks attract black cockatoos?

Yes. Glossy black cockatoos feed almost entirely on she-oak seed, especially black she-oak and drooping she-oak.

Are casuarina roots a problem?

The large species have vigorous roots and belong well away from pipes and buildings.

What is Cousin It?

A trailing, ground cover form of swamp oak with long shaggy foliage, grown over walls, banks and the edges of pots.