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Allocasuarina verticillata

drooping she-oak

Casuarinaceae South-eastern Australia

Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Allocasuarina verticillata, the drooping she-oak, is an evergreen tree in the family Casuarinaceae reaching 13-33 feet (4-10 m) tall and 10-20 feet (3-6 m) wide, with a short trunk and long, weeping grey-green branchlets that hang in slender curtains. What look like needles are jointed photosynthetic stems; the true leaves are reduced to tiny scales arranged in whorls of nine to thirteen at each joint. The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees: males form rusty-brown spikes at the branchlet tips, while females are small red tufts that ripen into woody, barrel-shaped cones 0.8-1.4 inches (2-3.5 cm) long. It grows on exposed coastal headlands, rocky hills, and poor woodland soils across south-eastern Australia, tolerating drought, salt wind, and low fertility. Roots fix nitrogen through a soil partnership, so the tree builds soil on degraded sites. The seed is a primary food of the glossy black-cockatoo. Falling branchlets can build up beneath the canopy and suppress ground plants.

Native Range

Allocasuarina verticillata is native to south-eastern Australia, including Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia. It grows on coastal cliffs and dunes, rocky ridges, and dry woodland, on shallow, sandy, or stony soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a shade and shelter tree, windbreak, and habitat tree on coastal and dryland sites, and used in revegetation of poor soils. Suited to exposed, salt-affected, and low-fertility ground where many trees fail. Spaced 13-20 feet (4-6 m) apart in screens and shelterbelts.

How to Identify

Recognised by long, drooping grey-green branchlets and the absence of broad leaves, which are reduced to whorls of nine to thirteen tiny scale-teeth at each joint. Male trees bear rusty-brown flower spikes at the branchlet tips; female trees bear small red flower tufts that become woody, barrel-shaped cones. The weeping outline and jointed branchlets distinguish it from true pines.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height13' - 32'10"

Width/Spread10' - 20'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Fall Winter

Flowering is concentrated in autumn and winter, mainly April to July. Male trees turn rusty-brown as the pollen spikes mature, while females show small red tufts that are easy to miss. Pollen is carried on the wind rather than by insects.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

rusty-brown (male), red (female)

Foliage Description

grey-green branchlets, scale leaves

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on freely draining sandy, stony, or clay soils across a wide pH range, and tolerates coastal salt wind, drought, and low fertility. Established trees need no supplementary water and decline in rich, wet ground. Nitrogen-fixing root associations let the tree grow on degraded and nutrient-poor sites without feeding. The species is wind-firm and useful on exposed slopes, though shed branchlets accumulate beneath the canopy and limit underplanting. Young trees grow steadily once their roots reach moisture. Seedlings can self-sow on bare ground.

Pruning

Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead or crossing branchlets and lifting the lower canopy for clearance. The weeping branchlets are left unshortened to keep the natural outline. Any shaping is done in late winter before new growth.

Pruning Schedule

winter