Australian Pine
Australian pines kill all the understory plants around them.
The Australian pine is a tall, non-native tree found throughout South Florida and parts of Central Florida. It was introduced to Florida in the late 1800s as a salt-tolerant tree that could provide shade and serve as a windbreak along coastal areas.
But since then, it has become a major problem. It's an aggressive grower that spreads into natural areas and smothers native plants under a heavy blanket of needle-like litter. The State of Florida has classified Australian pine as a noxious weed and prohibits people from cultivating or planting it.
If you have one on your property, consider making a Florida-Friendly choice and having the tree removed. That way, it won't be able to spread its seeds into natural areas.
UF/IFAS Sites
- Casuarina equisetifolia: Australian-pine, horsetail casaurina--UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas
- Casuarina glauca: Gray sheoak, Suckering Australian-pine--UF/IFAS Assessment