{"product_id":"casuarina-equisetifolia-10-grow-bag","title":"Casuarina equisetifolia - 10\" Grow bag","description":"\u003cp\u003eCasuarina equisetifolia, commonly called Whistling Pine, Beach She-oak or Saru, is a tall, fast-growing evergreen tree that looks pine-like but is actually a flowering tree. Its true leaves are reduced to tiny scales, while the slender, jointed, drooping green branchlets do the work of photosynthesis and give the tree its soft, feathery look and characteristic whistling sound in the wind.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNative to coastal Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, it has been planted extensively along India's eastern and western coasts (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat) for over a century. It thrives on poor, sandy and saline soils because its roots host nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria, making it a pioneer species for stabilising dunes and reclaiming degraded land.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is one of the most important social-forestry and agroforestry trees in peninsular India, valued for quick-yielding firewood, poles and paper pulp, while also serving as a shelterbelt that protects crops and settlements from coastal winds and salt spray.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eFamily\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCasuarinaceae\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eNative region\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCoastal Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eMature height\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15-35 m\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eMature spread\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5-10 m\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eGrowth rate\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFast (often 2-3 m per year when young)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eFoliage\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvergreen; needle-like drooping green branchlets with tiny scale leaves at joints\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eFlower colour\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eInconspicuous; brownish male spikes and tiny reddish female flowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eFlower season\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMainly during and after the monsoon, varying by region\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eClimate zone\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTropical and coastal subtropical; thrives in hot, humid, saline-littoral conditions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eSunlight\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun; needs bright, direct light all day and is not suited to shade.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eWatering\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDrought-hardy once established; water young saplings regularly for the first 1-2 years, then minimal irrigation.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eSoil \/ mix\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTolerates poor, sandy, saline and coastal soils; prefers well-drained ground and grows even on dunes.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eTemperature\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBest at 20-40 C; loves heat and tolerates coastal warmth but is sensitive to hard frost.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eHumidity\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTolerates a wide range; thrives in humid coastal air and salt spray.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eFertilizer\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRarely needed as it fixes its own nitrogen; a little compost or NPK at planting helps establishment on very poor soil.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003ePruning\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimal; remove dead or low branches and lop for poles. Lower limbs can be cleared to raise the canopy.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eRepotting\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrown in the ground, not as a long-term pot plant; transplant nursery saplings to their final site early.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003ePropagation\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMainly from seed sown in nursery beds; sometimes raised from cuttings or coppice shoots.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003ePests \u0026amp; problems\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGenerally hardy; can be affected by stem\/root rot (Trichosporium), wilt, bagworms and white grubs in nurseries.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eToxicity \/ safety\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot known to be significantly toxic to humans or pets; the branchlets are not a normal food and are best not ingested.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth scope=\"row\"\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEasy\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eUses\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Casuarina equisetifolia is a workhorse tree of coastal and social forestry in India:\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;ul\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Coastal shelterbelts and windbreaks that protect crops, homes and beaches from wind and salt spray\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Sand-dune stabilisation and reclamation of degraded, saline or eroded land\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Quick-yielding firewood and charcoal with high calorific value\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Poles, scaffolding, rafters and fencing for rural construction\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Raw material for the paper and pulp (rayon) industry\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Nitrogen-fixing improvement of poor soils in agroforestry blocks\u0026lt;\/li\u0026gt;\u0026lt;\/ul\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Plant saplings at the onset of the monsoon (June-July) so the rains help them establish without heavy irrigation.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;It performs best near the coast or on open, sunny sites; give each tree room as it grows tall and narrow. Space closely (about 1-2 m) for pole\/pulpwood plantations and wider for shade or shelterbelts.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Water young plants through the first dry season, then taper off as the deep roots take over. Avoid waterlogged spots and very heavy clay. In northern India, protect young plants from severe winter frost.\u0026lt;\/p\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhy is Casuarina planted so much along Indian beaches?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt tolerates salt, sand and strong coastal winds, fixes its own nitrogen, and grows very fast, so it is ideal for windbreaks, shelterbelts and stabilising sandy dunes while quickly yielding firewood and poles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow fast does Casuarina equisetifolia grow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is one of the fastest-growing trees, often putting on 2-3 m a year when young, and can reach harvestable pole or pulpwood size in roughly 4-7 years depending on site and spacing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDoes Casuarina need fertiliser and lots of water?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo. Its roots host nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria, so it needs little fertiliser, and once the first year or two of establishment is over it is highly drought-hardy and needs minimal irrigation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"vedicflora","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51047985873142,"sku":"PLT-CASUARINAEQU-B10-NA","price":100.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0805\/4980\/6326\/files\/nurserylive-seeds-casuarina-equisetifolia-australian-pine-tree-0-5-kg-seeds-16968697512076.jpg?v=1782711004","url":"https:\/\/vedicflora.com\/products\/casuarina-equisetifolia-10-grow-bag","provider":"vedicflora","version":"1.0","type":"link"}