Other Names:  Rose She-oak, form. Casuarina torulosa

Description:

An evergreen, medium-sized tree featuring pendulous, bronzy green foliage that is gracefully clustered at the branch tips; chestnut colored, corky bark is interesting; will re-sprout from the ground after a hard frost; a stunning landscape accent

Ornamental Features

Forest Oak has attractive grayish green foliage with hints of coppery-bronze which emerges chartreuse in spring on a tree with an arching habit of growth. The tiny threadlike sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The khaki (brownish-green) fruits with coppery-bronze spots are held in cones from late summer to early winter. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. The furrowed khaki (brownish-green) bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Forest Oak is an evergreen tree with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting birds and squirrels to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Forest Oak is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Hedges/Screening
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts

Planting & Growing

Forest Oak will grow to be about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more. This is a dioecious species, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Only the females will produce fruit, and a male variety of the same species is required nearby as a pollinator.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. This plant is capable of fixing its own nitrogen, which means that it is effectively self-fertilizing. As a result it should not require supplemental fertilizing, and if you do fertilize it, be sure to only use a low-nitrogen fertilizer to promote root growth. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.