Dear Friends, It is mostly grown for poles and firewood. A related species Casuarina junghuhniana, which is fast growing is being promoted by Tamil Nadu Forest Department in recent times.
For deriving the meaning of the specific name 'equisetifolia' should have been split as Equis-horse, seti-hair, and folia-leaves. The leaves actually superficially resemble 'Equisetum', an ancient group of plants called horsetails. Regards, Mohan