{ Casuarina equisetifolia By: 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.

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