Pincushion Hakea

Pincushion Hakea (Hakea laurina) flowers when most of the garden has gone quiet, from autumn into winter, covering itself in deep red globes studded with cream pins. It is a Western Australian native that grows into a large shrub or small tree about 5m tall and 3.5m wide, and it brings honeyeaters with it. For gardens with dry summers and free draining soil, few natives offer more for less effort.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers like nothing else. The pincushion blooms look almost made rather than grown, and they arrive in the cooler months when colour is scarce.
• A working bird feeder. Honeyeaters and other nectar feeders visit daily through the flowering season, and bees and butterflies join them.
• Hardy across the board. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant, salt tolerant and untroubled by poor soil.
• Screens as it performs. Dense enough to give privacy as an informal screen, handsome enough to stand alone.
• Low maintenance by nature. Once established it needs little more than a light annual trim.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Give it a position where the autumn and winter flowers can be seen up close: near a window, a path or an outdoor sitting area.

Informal screening and windbreaks. Plant 2m apart for a soft, flowering screen that filters wind along a boundary. It holds foliage well and takes exposure in its stride.

Coastal and dry gardens. Salt tolerance and real drought hardiness make it a mainstay for coastal blocks and low water gardens in its preferred climates.

Growing Pincushion Hakea in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open air. It thrives in warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid climates, and it is frost hardy once established. What it dislikes is humid summer rain, so it is not recommended for the tropics and can be short lived on the humid subtropical coast. Southern and inland gardeners are the ones it rewards.

Soil. Free draining is non-negotiable: sand, gravel and poor soils are ideal. On heavier ground, plant on a raised mound.

Water and feed. Water through the first summer, then leave it to rainfall except in severe drought. Feed sparingly with a low phosphorus native fertiliser in spring, or not at all in reasonable soil.

Pruning. Tip prune young plants for density, then give a light trim after flowering to keep the shape. Avoid hard cuts into old wood.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pincushion Hakea in 300mm and 400mm pots and as advanced 45L stock. The 300mm and 400mm plants are well established and settle quickly, which suits hakeas, as they prefer to grow away undisturbed. The 45L size delivers immediate presence for screening.

Handle the rootball gently at planting and position it right the first time, because hakeas resent being moved later. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Top bird attracting native plants
• Browse our Australian native range
• Designing a native garden that attracts wildlife
• The best plants for windy conditions

Common questions

Will it grow in Brisbane or the tropics?

It is not the right hakea for humid summer climates. Wet, muggy summers shorten its life, so from the humid subtropics north choose a local hakea or grevillea instead. From Sydney south and inland it is in its element.

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Space plants 2m apart in a single row for an informal flowering screen. It knits into a useful visual barrier within a few seasons while keeping its natural shape.

When does it flower?

From autumn into winter, with the main show in the cooler months. Flowers appear on wood a couple of years old, so young plants build up to full flowering over their first few years.

Does it need special fertiliser?

Like most of the protea family it is sensitive to phosphorus. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser sparingly, and never feed it with general purpose or lawn fertilisers.