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Hakea
Also called Pincushion Trees
Hakea is a genus of about 150 Australian shrubs and small trees in the Proteaceae family, many grown as ornamentals. Growing them well depends on light, well-drained soil, and watering that does not stay wet, and some western species need grafting in humid climates.
Hakea ( HAH-kee-ə, HAY-) is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are sometimes flat, otherwise circular in cross section in which case they are sometimes divided. The flowers are usually arranged in groups in leaf axils and resemble those of other genera, especially Grevillea. Hakeas have woody fruit which distinguishes them from grevilleas which have non-woody fruit which release the seeds as they mature. Hakeas are found in every state of Australia with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia.
Hakeas are popular ornamental plants in gardens in Australia, and in many locations are as common as grevilleas and banksias. Several hybrids and cultivars have been developed, including Hakea 'Burrendong Beauty'. They are best grown in beds of light soil which are watered but still well drained.
Some showy western species, such as Hakea multilineata, H. francisiana and H. bucculenta, require grafting onto hardy stock such as Hakea salicifolia for growing in more humid climates, as they are sensitive to dieback.
Hakea are endemic to Australia, where they can be found in all six states. Some species, such as Hakea sericea, have been introduced elsewhere, where they have become naturalized and may be considered invasive. Introduced Hakea populations occur in New Zealand, Norfolk Island, South Africa and Portugal.
Cushion Hakea · Cricket Ball Hakea · Lake Keepit Hakea · Bushy Needlewood
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hakea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
