Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’ is a unique and striking Australian Native Evergreen Shrub, known for its cascading, needle-like foliage and compact growth habit.
Key Features:
Foliage: The most distinctive feature of Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’ is its fine, needle-like foliage, which creates a soft, cascading effect. The dense, finely textured foliage forms a lush mound, giving it a soft, elegant appearance that is perfect for a variety of garden styles.
Growth Habit: This cultivar is a ground-hugging, spreading shrub with a dramatic cascading form. It grows to about 1 meter (3 feet) in width and spreads out with a trailing fall of up to 1.5 meters (5 feet), making it excellent for creating groundcover or using in erosion control.
Size: While the ‘Cousin It’ variety is compact, Casuarina glauca itself is a larger tree in the wild, reaching up to 30 meters (98 feet) tall in its natural environment. However, the cultivar grown in gardens remains small and manageable, with a typical height of about 1 meter (3 feet), making it well-suited for low-maintenance landscaping and smaller spaces.
Adaptability: Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’ is drought-tolerant and thrives in well-draining soils. It is ideal for coastal landscapes due to its salt-tolerance and ability to withstand dry conditions. This plant does well in full sun and is known for its low-maintenance nature, requiring minimal watering once established.
Uses: Its cascading form and dense growth make it an excellent choice for groundcover, especially in rockeries or on slopes where erosion control is needed. The plant’s unique texture and appearance also make it a favorite in coastal gardens and for creating textural contrast in garden beds. Additionally, it can be found grafted onto a standard, where it forms a small tree with a weeping, pendulous canopy.
Aesthetic Appeal: This shrub’s spreading habit, fine-textured needles, and graceful form give it a very elegant and architectural look, perfect for adding interest to a garden without overwhelming other plants. Its soft, flowing lines create a natural, relaxed feel, making it great for informal garden settings as well as more structured landscapes.
Summary:
With its unique, cascading foliage, drought-tolerance, and low-maintenance requirements, Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’ is a highly versatile plant. Whether used as groundcover, for erosion control, in rockeries, or as a specimen shrub in a garden bed, it brings texture and visual appeal. Its compact size, elegant form, and ability to thrive in coastal and dry conditions make it a valuable addition to a variety of garden designs.
