File:सुरू (Suru) (356913476).jpg

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

Botanical name: Casuarina equisetifolia, Casuarina muricata Family: Casuarinaceae

Origin: Malaysia, Southern Asia, Oceania and Australia

Tree with long needle-like branches and cone-like fruits, native to S. Pacific to India. Casuarina equisetifolia is a deciduous tree with a pine-like appearance. The tree was introduced for coastal landscaping but has become unpopular because of its invasive growth habit, aggressive choking of indigenous vegetation, and its interference with the nesting habits of turtles and crocodiles.

It can produce tremendous numbers of small, winged seeds, which are dispersed by wind and water. It frequently colonizes disturbed sites, is extremely resistant to salt spray and grows rapidly during hot weather. It doesn't do well in areas of prolonged flooding. Elfers (1988) points out several minor uses that include the utilization of wood ash in making soap and the extraction of dye from the bark. The astringent bark decoction is administered as a remedy for diarrhea and dysentery, as a lotion for beri-beri, and as a gargle to relieve sore throat.

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