Communities

Scientific Name

Allocasuarina crassa

Family Name

CASUARINACEAE

Common Name

Cape Sheoak

Status

Rare

Height

1.0m - 4.0m (100-400cm)

Flowers

Red-brown 'tufts' of stigmas.

Fruit

Nuts

Form

Sprawling shrub

Municipalities

Tasman

Communities

Coastal Vegetation

Habitat Notes

Known only from the Cape Pillar and Tasman Island areas of the Tasman Peninsula

Site Tolerance

Dry; Exposed; Moist; Rocky; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Soil Tolerance

Poor; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

A recently described species. The specific name means thick or stout and refers to the relatively longer, thicker branchlets compared with other species. Susceptible to browsing by hares and rabbits. Not suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Seed a winged nut in cones. pick greyish cones from shrub, dry inpaper bags to open. sieve seed to isolate. female allocasuarinas often carry ripe or ripening fruit at most times of the year

Seed Treatment Method

Smoke

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Female Allocasuarinas often carry ripe or ripening fruit at most times of the year.Seed loses viability quickly once released from the cone. Seed should be sown fresh or stored at 3-5oC to maintain long term viability.

Germination Time

10-45 days

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes

Can be grown from cuttings of semi-hard wood. Coppice shoots taken from cut stumps or damaged plants will strike readily.Allocasuarinas have a symbiotic relationship with a root fungi (Franklia sp.) Inoculating potting soil with divets taken from beneath mature plants may be beneficial.