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A medium-sized shrub, growing to 1 or 2 metres high, to 1 to 2 metres wide. It is often multi-stemmed.
It grows in open forest, woodland and heath on the central coast of New South Wales, between Newcastle and just south of the Hawkesbury River, around Glenorie and Wisemans Ferry. Typically found on moist to dry sandy soils.
It has bright green-narrow, pointed and tubular (terete) foliage, to 70 mm long and to only 2 mm in diameter with a mucro to 1 mm long, and is less prickly than that of many other Hakea species.
A hakea inflorescence is technically a cluster of paired flowers, termed a conflorescence (although sometimes the paired flowers are not evident) with the overall structure forming a clustered-raceme-like appearance. The inflorescences are always produced in the leaf axils, as opposed to the closely related Grevillea where they are mostly terminal. They can appear as a spider-flower-like cluster, or a rounded ball where flowers emerge around a 360° radius, or as a cylindrical raceme (which strongly resemble those of Grevillea).
In this species, the inflorescences occur as loose clusters, with up to 12 flowers per cluster, in the leaf axils or often below the leaves; or from old wood (where there are no leaves) – a very showy trait where the inflorescences simply emerge from the woody stems. They range from a pinkish white to deep pink in colour.
Individual flowers are composed of 1 carpel (female part) where the style and stigma protrude out; 4 stamens hidden away in the perianth; and the perianth (petals and sepals collectively) which connects to a pedicel. Proteaceae flowers do not have any discernible petals or sepals (having only one whorl) and so these are referred to as ‘tepals’ of which there are 4. In this species, the carpels are to 6 mm long, pink in colour. The perianths are white with tinges of pink. Flowering occurs in late winter through to spring.
The woody follicles are also very attractive, to 80 mm long by 45 mm wide. Despite their size, the follicles only contain 2 winged seeds.
This species has been cultivated for many years and it proves hardy in most situation.
It prefers a sandy soil but has been grown successfully on clay soils as well. Grow in an open sunny position. It may be slow to start with and it can take several years for flowers to emerge. It can have the trait of producing inflorescences on old wood, so it may need some pruning to better expose the flowers. Prune to shape as well after flowering or fruiting. The follicles can last a long time.
Very good bird and insect attractor. It can also be kept small and so suits a wide range of gardens.
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 ‘Burrendong Beauty’. They are best grown in beds of light soil, which are watered but still well-drained.
Is easily grown from seed, which generally germinates in around two weeks but may take longer. Seed may be difficult to obtain due to the species’ restricted distribution.
The species can be grown from cuttings but these may not be particularly easy to strike.
Hakea is a genus of about 150 species of plants that are endemic to Australia, first described in 1788 by Joseph Gaertner, a German botanist. NSW currently has about 31 species, some which are species-complex.
Hakeas are similar to species of Grevillea but are distinguished from them in having persistent, woody fruits. Those of grevilleas are not persistent and not woody.
The fruit of Hakea spp. generally persist on plants until burned in a bushfire or until the plant dies. The fruit then splits open to release two winged seeds.
This species also has a lignotuber from which it can re-sprout after fire.
Hakea – named after Baron Christian Ludwig von Hake (Baron von Hake of Hanover, 1745-1818), an 18th-century German patron of botany (and for whom not a lot of information can be found).
bakeriana – honours Richard Thomas Baker (1854-1941) an Australian teacher, economic botanist and later a curator of Sydney’s Technological Museum.
This species is not considered to be at risk of extinction in the wild.
NSW Flora Online (PlantNET) – Hakea bakeriana profile page https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Hakea~bakeriana
Wrigley, J.W. & Fagg, M.I. (2001). Australian Native Plants – Propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping. 4th edition. New Holland Publishers, Pty. Ltd. Australia.
Australian Native Plants Society Australia – Hakea bakeriana profile page https://anpsa.org.au/plant_profiles/hakea-bakeriana/