Hakea

Proteaceae

Hakea

Small woody shrubs up to small trees. Leaves highly variable in shape and colour, many but not all are prickly.

Flowers are often attractive, many flower over cooler months when few other plants are flowering. Wide variety in size, shape and colour.

Uses

Garden shrubs, cut flowers, bird attracting.

Culture

Hardy to most conditions. Most require good drainage with a few, however, growing naturally in swampy or moist conditions.

Growth is often fast in well drained soils. Plant on slopes, in raised beds or in sandy soils.

Do not prune hard.

Propagation

Propagate by seed, similar to Banksias. Some hard to grow West Australian species have been 
 successfully grafted onto H. salicifolia rootstock in an attempt to grow them in the eastern states.

Cultivars

Cultivated species include:

H. ambigua   1-2m x 1-1.8m   Compact shrub, stiff linear grey-green leaves. White or pink flowers in spring. 

H. baxteri     3m x to 1.8m   Open, upright shrub with rigid fan shaped, toothed foliage. White flwers in small clusters in spring. 

H. bucculenta   2-4m x to 2.5m    Erect shrub, long narrow leaves and showy spikes of red-pink flowers in winter. Full sun to part shade. 

H. ceratophylla To 1m to 80cm Upright shrub with lobed leaves, brown/rust clusters of flowers in summer.

H. clavata 1m x to 1m Low growing shrub with stiff club-shaped leaves. Small clusters of white flowers.

H. conchifolia To 1.5m x 90cm Upright shrub, leaves are folded and shell-shaped to enclose clusters of pink – white flowers in winter.

H. coriacea 4m x 3m Erect shrub, grey linear leaves; flowers are bright pink long spikes from winter to spring. 

H. corymbosa 1.5m x to 2m Compact dense shrub, linear pointy leaves. Showy display, large clusters of white flowers in spring. 

H. costata 1.8m x to 2m Upright shrub, small rigid narrow-elliptical shaped leaves, small white showy flowers on upper stems in spring.

H. dactyloides 4m x 3m Lanceolate leaves to 10cm long, fragrant cream flowers, sometimes pink and white, clustered along the stem in spring.

H. drupacea (syn H. suaveolens) 4m x 3m Dense large shrub to small tree, rigid foliage- narrowly divided. Creamy/white flowers autumn to winter. 

H. elliptica 3.5m x 4m New growth golden, large elliptical leaves, cream/white flowers appear in clusters in winter-spring. Hardy fast growing plant suited as a screen. Avoid lime

H. laurina 3-5m x 3m Red/rose-pink and cream ball flowers, broad eucalyptus like leaves. Prone to blowing over.

H. leucoptera 3 x 1.5m Spreading or upright shrub with narrow leaves to 7 cm long. White flowers in clusters in summer, best in dry climates.

H. microcarpa 1-2 x 1.5m Rounded alpine shrub with white flowers in clusters in early summer.

H. multilineata 4m x 2m Erect shrub with narrow-oblong leaves and pink/red flowers in winter-spring.

H. nodosa 3m x 1.5m Upright or sometimes rounded shrub with dense grey/green prickly needle foliage. White- lemon yellow flowers in summer – autumn.

H. petiolaris 5m x 3m Grey/green pointed broadly ovate leaves, purple/red and cream flowers in autumn – winter.

H. prostrata 1-1.5m x to3m Compact sometimes prostrate shrub, with narrowly divided oval, toothed leaves. White flowers in spring.

H. purpurea 2m x 1m Rounded shrub, with narrow divided leaves. Red flowers winter – spring, very hardy plant.

H. rostrata 1m x to 1.5m Compact shrub with long narrow leaves, white flower clusters in spring.

H. salicifolia (syn. H. saligna) 5m x 3m Large shrub to small tree. White –cream perfumed flowers in spring young leaves red – bronze. 

H. scoparia 2-3m x to 2.5m Upright shrub long, fine, channeled leaves. Pinkish/red flowers appear in clusters in late winter to spring. 

H. sericea 3m x 1.5m Upright shrub. Stiff prickly needle leaves, cream to pink flowers late winter – spring. Hardy plant excellent bird habitat.

H. teretefolia To 1.5m x to 1.5m Open shrub with long, prickly, needle foliage. White flowers spring – summer. 

H. undulata 1m -3m x 1m – 2.2m Dense upright shrub, variable in height. Oval leaves with prickly, wavy margins. White flowers in spring. 

H. verrucosa 50cm-2m x 1-2m Compact shrub of variable height. Dense, needle foliage, white to purple red flowers in clusters in winter. 

H. victoriae 4m x 3m Erect imposing +shrub with large prickly edged shell like leaves ranging from green to gold to red. Flowers white to yellow in spring

Plant Health

Many Hakeas will suffer toxicity problems when fed with fertilisers containing phosphorus (P).
Some are susceptible to wind damage.

More info

Number of species: about 130, 70 from W.A., others from other states.
Natural habitat: Widespread; open forest to arid plains, not rain forests.

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