Photo: Ipan24 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Casuarina (Whistling Pine) (Casuarina equisetifolia): Coastal nitrogen-fixing tree — a windbreak champion and source of dense firewood and charcoal.
🔍 Quick Facts
| Common name | Casuarina (Whistling Pine) |
| Other names | Saru, Jangli saru (Hindi); Savukku (Tamil); Sarugudu (Telugu); Whistling pine |
| Scientific name | Casuarina equisetifolia |
| Plant family | Casuarinaceae |
| Size | 15–35 m tree |
| Native region | Southeast Asia, Pacific |
| Climate | Tropical/Coastal |
| Ease of growing | Very Fast |
| Parts used | Wood, Bark |
About Casuarina
Casuarina looks like a pine, but its "needles" are actually green branchlets, and it makes a soft whistling sound in the wind. It fixes nitrogen and is planted along India's eastern coast as a windbreak and in shelterbelts against cyclones. It is also an important farm-forestry crop in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for poles and paper pulp.
Botanically known as Casuarina equisetifolia, it belongs to the Casuarinaceae family. It is native to Southeast Asia, Pacific and grows best in a tropical/coastal climate. The parts most often used are the wood and bark.
Timber & Economic Uses
Casuarina is best known for:
- Windbreak
- Firewood
- Charcoal
- Coastal stabilisation
- Nitrogen fixation
What the Wood Is Used For
- Poles for construction scaffolding.
- Firewood, charcoal and paper pulp.
- Coastal windbreaks and dune stabilisation.
How to Grow Casuarina
| ☀️ Sunlight | Full sun. |
| 💧 Watering | Low to moderate. |
| 🪴 Soil | Sandy, coastal soil; tolerates salt. |
| 🌱 Propagation | Seeds or clonal cuttings. |
| 📅 When to plant (India) | Plant in the monsoon. |
| 🏡 In pots / at home | Can be grown as a bonsai. |
Precautions & Safety
- Fallen needles suppress undergrowth.
- Can be invasive in some coastal ecosystems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Written by the WhyOnPlanet editorial team · Last updated October 2026