Casuarina Groundcovers: Casuarina glauca prostrate

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I adore Casuarinas, in all shapes and forms, so I’m pretty happy with the number of ground cover Casuarinas that are around at the moment. They are tough, quick growing and have a lovely weeping soft look about them, they also can grow to form interesting shapes and textures in the garden. By the way the decorative little lumps seen here aren’t flowers or fruit developing but a gall, isn’t it pretty?

Below is Casuarina glauca prostrate form spilling over the edge of a retaining wall, this particular variety doesn’t have much height to it, it is densely carpeting and spreads a couple of metres. As a ground cover they don’t really like laying on the soil, especially when its wet, you may find a bit of die-back underneath, which is find as long as it isn’t showing on top, you can prune them to avoid this happening.

P1080098

Below is a mass panting of Casuarina ‘Cousin It’, they grow with little bumps to begin with and then spread out, they will assist with the retention of moisture, soil erosion and suppression of weeds.

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Comments

10 responses to “Casuarina Groundcovers: Casuarina glauca prostrate”

  1. Kay Playforth

    How do I care for my Protrate Sheoak in Australia… Central western NSW.???
    Please help.

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Kay,

      The Casuarina glauca prostrate forms can take a while to get going, they like to receive regular deep watering for the first 12 months at least.
      Hope this info helps,

      Best Wishes,

      Kath

  2. Alison

    Hi Kath,
    Thanks for your ideas. I’m planting in a coastal garden in Sydney with hungry wallabies – do you know if they will eat Casaurinas?
    Thanks,
    Alison

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Alsion,

      I would have thought the wallabies would need to be VERY hungry to eat Casuarinas, as the new growth doesn’t hold a lot of moisture. Casuarinas are more of a food source for seed eating birds like Cockatoos and other parrots with larger strong beaks.

      Hope this info helps,

      Best Wishes,

      Kath

      1. Alison

        Thanks very much Kath.

        1. Aimee

          Hi Kath and Alison,
          I had planted a number of casuarinas (cousin it’s) in my front rocky garden bed and was excited to watch them get new growth. It didn’t even occur to me that wallabies or pademelons would want to nibble on them (I live on the city fringe). Unfortunately the pademelons in Hobart have all but decimated my casuarinas in the last month – one plant is down to a mere sticky stem. I’m hoping that this is just an annoying side effect of winter with there being minimal other available shrubs around. I’m thinking my casuarinas will grow back, but without fencing, I’m not sure I can stop the pademelons from coming back next winter. Hopefully the wallabies aren’t so hungry in Sydney.
          Good luck!
          Aimee

  3. Bruce Isaacs

    Hi Kath

    Can Casuarina Glauca Prostrate be walked on once established, without much harm ? Or any other grasses like this that can be ? (we have an area we don’t want to mow, but would be walked on a bit

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Bruce,

      Unfortunately not, the stems can become broken fairly easily so it doesn’t really work as a lawn substitute.

      Best Wishes,

      Kath

  4. Kirsty grant

    Hi. Does the root system of Casuarina Glauca Prostrate pose any concern for ag drains/pipes etc that are located within retaining walls where they are planted?

    1. Kath Gadd

      Hi Kristy,

      Casuarina species have a natural moisture seeking root system, so it would depend how close you are planting them to the ag lines. However being a ground cover/low shrub the root system should not be too extensive.
      Best Wishes,
      Kath

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