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Australian Pine

Casuarina equisetifoliaBy: Aimee Childress

Background Introduced to Florida in

the late 1800's .

Planted widely for the

purposes of ditch and

canal stabilization,

shade and lumber.

Capable of flowering year- round and can produce tremendous numbers of small, winged seeds dispersed by wind.

Invasive Range Malaysia

Southern Asia Oceania Australia

Native Range Hawaiian islands

Coastal Florida Bahamas Caribbean

islands

Characteristics

Fruit – The fruit is tiny, one-seeded and forms in woody cone like clusters.

Flowers- are unisexual and inconspicuous. Females are in small auxiliary clusters and males are in small terminal spikes.

Deciduous tree with a soft, wispy, pine-like appearance that can grow to 100 feet or more in height.

What Makes it Invasive?

Fast-growing (5-10 feet per year).Produces dense shade and a thick blanket of

leaves.Displace native dune and beach vegetation.Causes poor soils because it produces nitrogen.The ground becomes ecologically sterile and

lacking in food value for native wildlife.Chemicals in the leaves may inhibit the growth

of other plants underneath it.

Control Plan

New or Small Infestations-manual removal

of seedlings and saplings is recommended.

Large infestations- application of a systemic

type herbicide to bark, cut stumps, or foliage.

Prescribed fire has also been used for large

infestations in fire-tolerant communities.

Any Questions?