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Hakea salicifolia

willow-leaved hakea

Proteaceae Eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Fragrant (light)Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Hakea salicifolia is an evergreen large shrub to small tree growing 8-20 feet (2.4-6 m) tall and 6-13 feet (1.8-4 m) wide, with a dense, upright habit and slender branches. New growth is bronze to reddish before turning green. The leaves are flat, narrow, and willow-like, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long and 0.2-0.6 inch (5-15 mm) wide, leathery and dull green with a prominent midrib. Small cream to white flowers cluster in the leaf axils in late winter and spring, each cluster holding many short-stalked flowers, lightly scented. The woody fruit is an egg-shaped capsule 0.5-0.8 inch (12-20 mm) long with a short beak, holding two winged seeds and remaining closed on the plant until it dies or is burnt. Growth is fast, and plants reach screening height within a few years. The dense foliage and rapid growth suit the species to hedging, though plants are relatively short-lived at 15-25 years.

Native Range

Native to eastern Australia, in coastal and near-coastal New South Wales and southern Queensland, often along watercourses and forest margins. Grows on a range of soils in moist, sheltered to open positions. Widely planted elsewhere and naturalized in parts of southern Australia and other regions.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a fast screen, windbreak, and clipped hedge, spaced 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) apart for a continuous row. Used in habitat and revegetation plantings, where the flowers feed birds and insects. Rapid growth and free seeding suit larger gardens and rural screens, and the species is treated as a weed where it has naturalized beyond its range.

How to Identify

Recognized by flat, narrow, willow-like leaves 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long with a prominent midrib, bronze to reddish new growth, and clusters of small cream flowers in the leaf axils. The woody beaked seed capsules 0.5-0.8 inch (12-20 mm) long that stay closed on the plant separate it from willows and other narrow-leaved shrubs. The flat, soft leaves separate it from needle-leaved Hakea spp. species.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8' - 20'

Width/Spread6' - 13'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowers from July to October, with peak bloom in late winter and early spring. The cream flower clusters open over several weeks and carry a light scent. Woody capsules follow and remain closed on the branches for years.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

cream to white

Foliage Description

dull green, bronze when new

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade on most well-drained soils and tolerates clay, frost, and short dry spells once established. Plants grow quickly and respond to trimming, which makes the species usable as a clipped or informal hedge. As a member of the protea family it grows with little fertilizer, and phosphorus-rich feeds can damage the roots. Root rot from Phytophthora spp. can affect plants in wet, poorly drained soils. Self-sown seedlings appear near parent plants and can spread on disturbed ground.

Pruning

Trim after flowering to shape the plant and maintain a hedge; plants reshoot from green wood. Cutting back into old leafless wood produces slow and patchy regrowth. Light, regular clipping keeps growth dense from a young age.