Abstract: Through a colaborative forestry project (ACIAR 8848)between the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, a species trial was established in Southeast China in 1986 with 7 species of Casuarinaceae, Allocasuarina littoralis, A. torulosa, Casuarina cristata, C. cunnighamiana, C. equisetifolia, C. glauca and C. junghuniana, with 14 seedlots from Australia and 2 local lots. The trial was designed 4×4 square lattice with 3 replicates and 5×5 trees in a square plot. As land races, the two local seedlots of C. equisetifolia and C. glauca were used as controls. It was found from the research results that there were considerably significant differences in growth rates and survival between C. junghuniana and the other 6 species. Introduced to China for the first time, C, junghuniana has reached average height of 10.2m and dbh 9.7 cm at age 4.5, in comparison with stright stem form, dense crown and abounded litter, and started fruiting at age 3.C. cunninghamiana performed as well as the land races, C. glauca and C. equisetifolia around 6.0m tall and dbh 5.6cm. ,A. littoralis, A. torulosa and C. cristata ranged 4.5 to 5.2m in height and 4 to 6 cm in dbh with lower survival percentage of 20% to 60%. Perspectively C. junghuniana is of great importance in large scale planting, A. littoralis and A. torulosa will be possibly used as associates in plantations.

Key words: Casuarina, Species Selection, Casuarina junghuniana