Hakea orthorryncha
Common Name: Bird HakeaFamily: PROTEACEAE (80 Genera)
Origin of Scientific Name
Hakea: After Christian Ludwig, Baron von Hake, (1745 – 1818) German patron of botany.
orthorryncha: from Greek orthorrhynchus: orthos = straight + rhynchos = beak, snout, referring to the bird-beak-like appearance of the fruit.
Description
Erect, spreading shrub 1 to 3 m high. The sparse, narrow linear leaves do little to obstruct the bright red flowers which grow directly from older wood. The flowers are followed by hard, woody pods approximately 4 cm long, which, due to their appearance, give this species its name.
Distribution
Relatively small shrubland distribution around the Geraldton to Kalbarri area on the central Western Australian coast.Flowering Season
May to Sept
Cultivation/Propagation
Easily grown from seed and fairly fast-growing, though they may take up to 8 years to flower when grown from seed. It is possible to propagate from cuttings, but difficult. They require minimal fertilising in general and avoid ANY phosphorous in particular – this will kill them! Though their natural habitat is subjected to the dry Western Australian summer, they do well in the eastern states as long as they have free-draining soil and a sunny open position.
View This Plant in Kings Park
Directly north of Roe Car Park, adjacent to Forrest Drive. To help locate this site, you may download the Western Australian Botanic Garden Guide brochure via our brochures page.
Notes
This is an excellent plant for attracting nectar-feeding birds into your garden.