A Portrait of a Flower: Hakea francisiana
Look at this thing! is it not one of the most spectacular flowers you have ever seen? I have been impatiently waiting for this moment in my Hakea francisiana Grafted life cycle since I planted it 6 months ago. It began flowering a couple of weeks ago, just as we went into COVID lockdown again, it must have known it spirit lifting powers were needed.
This is a grafted form of Hakea francisiana or Emu Tree, as it naturally grows in Western Australia and South Australia where they don’t experience high levels of humidity.
My apologies but this blog post is simply a celebration of a flower, my specimen hasn’t been in long enough to display the mature habit of the large shrub or small tree it will finally become.
I am absolutely obsessed with the colour of these flowers as they open and mature, the gradient of pale yellow through to peach and then finally hot pink is delicious. Combined with the long, grey green upright leaves as a back drop makes the flower colour super punchy.
In the image above you can see the axillary flower buds on the stem, these seem to develop sporadically, I am assuming they will not all form flowers this year, however it is supposed to flower from Winter into Spring so who knows? Hakea francisiana can be sourced as a grafted plant from specialist native nurseries, this particular grafted form is called ‘Intensity’.
This Hakea is a tall bushy shrub to small tree growing up to 4 metres high x 3 metres wide. It likes a sunny open position in a well drained soil, however mine is very happy in part shade with a clay sub-soil.
There is also a similar Hakea called Hakea bucculenta which can also be purchased grafted. Hakea bucculenta has a narrower leaf and the flower colour is more an organgy red than pink.
It is indeed a mood lifting beauty. I planted three out in the front garden of a client two years ago and ohhhh they are in full stride blooming stunners. I recently planted two in my own garden and the flowers are just emerging, green to peach in colour… It brings me such joy to watch the flowers emerge as does the rest of the garden. We are also in lockdown here in Melbs so these daily longing looks at my Hakeas (including a couple of Burrendong Beautys) makes it all the more bearable.
Lovely post, thanks again for sharing.
Hi Melissa, I have been really truly keen to find a grafted form of the Franciasciana to buy in Melbourne, but have been really struggling. Can I ask where you managed to find yours? Thank you š Wendy
So beautiful. Where did you find yours??
Hi Jill,
I purchased mine from Sydney Wildflower Nursery in Heathcote. I think they are doing mail orders during lockdown if you wanted to pick one up yourself, but you might also be able to find it more local nurseries depending on where you live.
Best wishes,
Kath
How do they feel about frost – Iām just outside of Canberra
Hi Tanya,
They grow naturally in SA and southern WA on the coast and inland so they would cope with light to medium frost.
It might be wise to protect them when young so they have a chance to harden off.
Best Wishes,
Kath