-by Richard Arderne
We all know that indigenous tress are better than non-indigenous trees. But most of us often don’t know which are which!
So Pam Golding St Francis asked a leading local botanist to help, and she produced a list of the ten worst trees for St Francis … and the ten best trees for St Francis. And they printed a brochure, available for free at their office.
Foster agreed to publicize the worst trees. So far we have featured three trees: the Rooikrans, the Manatoka/Salt & Pepper, and the Brazilian Pepper.
This month the culprit is the Beefwood tree, also known as a Casuarina.
Beefwoods can be viewed outside the Calibre office, at the intersection of St Francis Drive and Lyme Road South. They also feature at the entrance to Billy’s Beach!
They look similar to pine trees (also not indigenous), with “pine” needles and small woody cones, and can grow into huge 40m high trees.
Like most listed alien invasive trees, Beefwoods:
a) are water guzzlers, the opposite of water-wise indigenous trees, and
b) spread easily, smothering our beautiful indigenous vegetation, and
c) are a fire hazard
Landowners are obliged by law to remove them .. so please do so, and replace them with indigenous trees which will be an asset to your garden, and will attract birds.
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