Scientific Name: Allocasuarina zephyrea Endemic Having a natural distribution confined to a particular geographic region

Common Name: western sheoak

Family Classification (Clade): Eudicots

Family: Casuarinaceae

Form Description: Shrub with waxy, bead-like foliage.

Height (m): 0.5 – 2

Flowers: Red-brown” tufts” of stigmas.

Fruit: Woody cone – enclosing winged nuts.

Municipality
BurnieCentral HighlandsDerwent ValleyHuon ValleyKentishKing IslandMeander ValleyWaratah-WynyardWest Coast
Plant Communities
Coastal VegetationHeath
Habitat Notes

The first specimens were collected at Ocean Beach, Strahan and it occurs in heaths and rocky outcrops from sea-level in the west to central and south-east Tasmanian highlands as well as on King Island.

Site Tolerance

Exposed, Moist, Rocky, Windy

Soil Tolerance

Nutrient-poor, Sandy

Frost Tolerance

Hardy

General Notes

Bird attracting. Susceptible to browsing by hares and rabbits.

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Seed, Cuttings

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Pick greyish cones from shrub. Dry in paper 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 Smoke treatment improves germination in some species. Smokey products, e.g. smokey vermiculite, can be purchased and applied to the sown seed, or sown seeds can be treated directly with smoke from a source such as a drum with a fire and hose.

Seed Treatment Notes

Seed loses viability quickly once released from the cone. The seed should be sown fresh or stored at 3-5°C to maintain long term viability.

Germination Time

10-45 days

Cutting & Division Information

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 nitrogen-fixing root actinomycetes (Frankia sp). Inoculating potting soil with divots taken from beneath mature plants may be beneficial.