Casuarina ‘Cousin It’

A dense, cascading groundcover with soft, flowing foliage

Casuarina ‘Cousin It’ is a unique, low‑growing Australian native known for its fine, trailing foliage that forms a soft, flowing carpet. It brings movement, texture, and a sculptural quality to modern, coastal, and native gardens. In SEQ’s warm climate, it thrives with minimal care and is especially striking when used on slopes, retaining walls, and as a living groundcover.

🧬 Botanical Name

Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’

🪴 Common Names

Cousin It, Shagpile Plant, Prostrate Casuarina

📏 Size

  • Height: 10–20 cm

  • Spread: 1–2 m

  • Dense, trailing, ground‑hugging habit

☀️ Light Requirements

  • Outdoors (SEQ): Full sun to part shade

  • Best density and coverage in full sun

  • Tolerates coastal exposure and reflected heat

🌱 Soil Needs

  • Free‑draining soil

  • Tolerates sandy, rocky, and coastal soils

  • Avoid heavy, waterlogged clay

  • Benefits from organic matter and mulch

💧 Watering

  • Water regularly during establishment

  • Once established, highly drought‑tolerant

  • Water occasionally in extended dry periods

Signs of underwatering: thinning or patchy growth Signs of overwatering: yellowing stems, root issues

🌿 Growth Habit

  • Fine, hair‑like foliage

  • Dense, cascading, ground‑hugging form

  • Excellent for spillover planting

  • Creates a soft, sculptural effect in the landscape

✂️ Maintenance Level

  • Very low

  • Trim lightly if needed to control spread

  • Feed in spring with a native‑safe fertiliser

  • Remove any dead or damaged sections

🌤️ Seasonal Performance (SEQ)

  • Thrives year‑round in warm conditions

  • Evergreen in SEQ

  • Handles heat, humidity, and coastal exposure

  • Strongest growth from spring to early autumn

⭐ Special Care Notes

  • Excellent for erosion control on slopes

  • Avoid high‑phosphorus fertilisers

  • Mulch lightly to retain moisture

  • Great for modern, minimal, and native designs

🏡 Where It Works Best

  • Retaining wall spillovers

  • Slopes and banks

  • Coastal gardens

  • Native and subtropical landscapes

  • Modern, architectural garden designs

  • Between stepping stones (light traffic only)

🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overwatering → root rot

  • Planting in heavy clay → poor performance

  • Deep shade → sparse, leggy growth

  • Expecting it to handle foot traffic → damage

Casuarina glauca: Cousin It — low‑growing cascading native groundcover with fine trailing foliage, ideal for sunny SEQ slopes, spillovers, and low‑maintenance modern gardens.
Casuarina glauca: Cousin It — low‑growing cascading native groundcover with fine trailing foliage, ideal for sunny SEQ slopes, spillovers, and low‑maintenance modern gardens.
Previous

Cascade Palm
Next

Dichondra 'Emerald Falls'