Casuarina cristata
Black-oak · Belah
Description
Source: wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Casuarina cristata, commonly known as belah or muurrgu, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to inland eastern Australia. It is a tree with fissured or scaly bark, sometimes drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 8 to 12, the fruit 13–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6.0–10.5 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long.
Care Guide
💧 Water
☀️ Light Full sun
Belah is native to open habitats, such as sunny meadows and forest margins, where light is plentiful. It grows best in Full Sun but can also tolerate Partial Sun, adapting well to a range of light conditions.
🌡️ Temperature 20–37.8°C
Belah shows strong adaptability to temperature, able to endure higher heat and wider temperature swings. During hot periods, attention should be paid to irrigation and suitable shading should be provided to avoid sunburn. Conversely, Belah tolerates low temperatures poorly. It can survive some cold, but overly cold conditions may cause frost injury.
💨 Humidity
🪴 Soil 6-8
🌱 Fertilizer
Fertilize your Belah in early spring to encourage healthy growth. Regular feeding boosts overall health, producing vigorous growth, increased tolerance of harsh conditions, and better resistance to pests and diseases. Follow a consistent fertilization schedule for your Belah to preserve vibrant, deep-colored foliage and a lush appearance.
🪴 Pot & Repot
✂️ Pruning
🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity
Characteristics
- Plant Type
- Tree
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Hardiness Zone
- 9-11
- Mature Height
- 10.06 m to 14.94 m
- Mature Spread
- 4.88 m to 7.92 m
- Leaf Color
- Green, Dark Green
- Leaf Type
- Evergreen
- Bloom Time
- Late summer, Early fall, Mid fall
- Planting Time
- Summer
- Harvest Time
- Late fall, Early winter, Mid winter