Casuarina in the temperate region

I was curious if anyone had any pointers for keeping a Casuarina in a temperate region, and some guidence as to the growth principles. I knew it was a risk, but I have always wanted a Casuarina and couldn't help but pick one up at the Potomac Bonsai festival last weekend. Hey, at least it isn't invasive this far North.

I have a couple ficus and a bay leaf tree that put up with the winter indoors each year with a little supplemental lighting.

Thanks,
David

Since no one else has answered, I will go out on a limb. With many tropicals, you don't know until you try. However, this seems like a long shot.
The fact that it is an invasive weed in the South indicates that it may tolerate adverse conditions.
The fact that it has evolved an extreme form of foliage indicates that it requires full sun all year round. Your present winter arrangement may not be adequate. Consider providing a fluorescent fixture, minimum two 40 Watt tubes. Set a timer for 18 hours. Get the strongest tubes you can find, 5000 to 6500 K. Lowe's has them.
Since it is a xerophyte (adapted to desert conditions), humidity may not be an issue.
Iris

Iris,
Thank you for the insight. Now that the outdoor season for tropicals is drawing to an end in my area, I am in the process of figuring out suitable arrangements for my less hardy trees. The good news is that my Casuarina has responded quite well to my repotting in May into well draining substrate. i.e. Lots of new growth. My plan is to leave it shaggy for now, and assuming it makes it though the winter, I'll attempt an airlayering next summer.

Picture coming this weekend,
David

Just a quick reply for now.
I am not sure how cold it gets where you are but Casurina is also a native of Australia in a temperate climate. It will handle at least say -5 deg celsius. But not sure about snow?

Brett Summers wrote:Just a quick reply for now.
I am not sure how cold it gets where you are but Casurina is also a native of Australia in a temperate climate. It will handle at least say -5 deg celsius. But not sure about snow?

Brett, what variety do you have? In Florida there are three main varieties that I know (Casuarina glauca, C. equistifolia and C. cunninghamiana) the glauca, which grow by my house can take an occasional frost but not much. The c. cuninghamia and C. equistiloia are more susceptible to freezes.

I do not know is Casuarina grow in the desert but in Malaysia a tropical country Casuarina grow wild n well by the sandy seaside, tolerating salty n intense sun. Most bonsaist train them to look like pine. Their needlelike leafs evolve to whitstand the windsept condition by the seaside.

Brett Summers wrote:Just a quick reply for now.
I am not sure how cold it gets where you are but Casurina is also a native of Australia in a temperate climate. It will handle at least say -5 deg celsius. But not sure about snow?

Well, there are Casuarina and then there are Casuarina. C. equestifolia, the species most commonly found in Florida -- and one of the most invasive in the far south -- is not cold tolerant, and is damaged by temperatures that just barely hover around the freezing mark. But there are (or were -- the Genus has been broken up into several Genera now) 17 species (more or less) with differing requirements.

Rob Kempinski wrote:

Brett Summers wrote:Just a quick reply for now.
I am not sure how cold it gets where you are but Casurina is also a native of Australia in a temperate climate. It will handle at least say -5 deg celsius. But not sure about snow?

Brett, what variety do you have? In Florida there are three main varieties that I know (Casuarina glauca, C. equistifolia and C. cunninghamiana) the glauca, which grow by my house can take an occasional frost but not much. The c. cuninghamia and C. equistiloia are more susceptible to freezes.

I believe my collected one is Casurina cuninghamia. This plant file states tolerates frosts in the 0° to -5°C range or tolerates heavy frosts colder than -5°C
http://www.florabank.org.au/lucid/key/species%20navigator/media/html/Casuarina_cunninghamiana.htm
Another resource (List of plants) stated it has a high tolerance to frost.
Glauca (don't believe I have this species) was stated simply as light to moderate (0 to -5°C)
http://www.florabank.org.au/lucid/key/species%20navigator/media/html/Casuarina_glauca.htm.

If you are experiencing frost damage on the cuninghamia and not the glauca then maybe the cuninghamia you have is somehow different to the one we have such as a hybrid or something?

I came accross a hybrid cunninghamiana x belah, Haven't done much with them yet except bare root to get rid of the tap roots. I have never had any trouble bare rooting any of my casurina as many others. But it seems just as many kill all they touch when repotting. The only reason I can think of is we are using different species but it is not very well documented to really know.
Belah may be one that is harder to transplant?

Jim it does seem that the equestifolia will not tolerate frost well. It does grow here in Australia but only on the northern parts. I have never taken any notice of this species before.

Just looking some more and I found this more relevant info to your area Rob.

In Florida, C. cunninghamiana and C. glauca have a wide tolerance for moisture regimes, as they are present on sites ranging from dry to very wet but not permanently flooded. Casuarina equisetifolia performs well on dry sites only; C. glauca appears to be the most frost hardy, although it will not withstand long periods below freezing, and C. cunninghamiana is intermediate in frost tolerance. There seem to be no climatic barriers to sexual reproduction.

It is weird how it seems the cunninghamiana is listed as and performs better in the frost in Australia than Florida