Hakea sericea
| Hakea sericea | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 10' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Hakea sericea (common name: silky hakea)
Propagation: Seed - sow March in a greenhouse. Germination is usually good. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[1].
Cuttings of mature wood[2].
Cultivation: Succeeds in a hot dry position, requiring a lime-free soil[3]. Requires plenty of moisture in the growing season but a very well-drained soil[2]. Wind tolerant[4].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, but it succeeds outdoors in S.W. England[5]. Plants are hardy to about -7°c in Australian gardens but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder wetter winters. They grow well in a Mediterranean climate, with cool wet winters and hot dry summers[6].
Some forms of this species are lower growing with a tendency to sucker[7].
Sometimes confused with H. lissosperma, some plants grown as H. acicularis are H. lissosperma[5].
A good bee plant.
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[6].
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria. Locally naturalized in parts of S.W. Europe.
Habitat: Dry sclerophyll forests and heaths on sandstone soils and shales[8].
Usage: A gum, somewhat similar to gum tragacanth (which is obtained from various Astragalus spp), is obtained from the stems[9][10].
Shrubs are planted for the reclamation of arid land in Spain and Portugal[11].
Plants are used for screening purposes in Australia[7].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: H. acicularis. H. tenuifolia. Conchium aciculare. Banksia tenuifolia.
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Carolin, R. Flora of the Sydney Region. Reed, 1993.
- ↑ Howes, Frank. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Chronica Botanica, 1949.
- ↑ Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.