File:Australian pine (433758416).jpg

Common name: Australian Pine, Horsetail, Horsetail Casuarina, Ironwood, Suru सुरू (Marathi)

Botanical name: Casuarina equisetifolia - [ (kazh-yoo-ar-EYE-nuh) or (kazh-yoo-ar-EE-nuh) from Malay kesuari, from the resemblance of its twigs to the drooping feathers of the cassowary; (ek-wih-set-ih-FOL-ee-uh) foliage like a horse tail, Equisetum ] Family: Casuarinaceae (casuarina family) - [ (kazh-yoo-ar-EYE-nuh-see-ay) the Casuarina family ]

Origin: Malaysia, Southern Asia, Oceania and Australia

Casuarina equisetifolia is the most widespread and well-known member of the family Casuarinaceae. Salt tolerant. Australian pine is fast-growing (5-10 feet per year), produces dense shade and a thick blanket of leaves and hard, pointed fruits, that completely covers the ground beneath it. Dense thickets of Australian pine displace native dune and beach vegetation, including mangroves and many other resident, beach-adapted species.

Because its roots are capable of producing nitrogen through microbial associations, Australian pine can colonize nutrient-poor soils. Once established, it radically alters the light, temperature, and soil chemistry regimes of beach habitats, as it outcompetes and displaces native plant species and destroys habitat for native insects and other wildlife. Chemicals in the leaves of Australian pine may inhibit the growth of other plants underneath it.

Courtesy: - Top Tropicals - Dave's Garden - ZipCode Zoo