belah

Belah is a common name primarily applied to several species of trees in the family Casuarinaceae, most notably Casuarina cristata, a native Australian hardwood. The tree typically reaches 10–25 m in height and is characterised by its slender, drooping branchlets that resemble pine needles, though true leaves are reduced to minute scales. Belah wood is dense, hard and resistant to wear, making it valuable for fence posts, railway sleepers and heavy‑construction timber. The species thrives in semi‑arid inland regions of eastern Australia, often on heavy clay soils, and is well adapted to drought and fire, resprouting quickly after disturbance.

In addition to its horticultural and economic significance, "Belah" appears in several geographical contexts. The name designates small localities in England, such as the village of Belah in Cumbria, and a tributary of the River Eden in the same county. In the United Kingdom, Belah also refers to a former railway station that served the Cumbria village in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term is occasionally encountered as a surname, though it remains rare.

Ecologically, belah trees provide habitat and food for a range of native fauna. Their cone‑like fruiting structures, called samaras, release small winged seeds that are dispersed by wind. The foliage supports insects such as the belah moth (Euproctis belaha), whose larvae feed on the foliage and contribute to the local food web. Conservation status of Casuarina cristata is of least concern, as it remains widespread and abundant across its native range.