Genus Hakea Rank Species | ||
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Similar Hakea, Hakea bucculenta, Hakea cucullata, Hakea orthorrhyncha, Hakea corymbosa | ||
Hakea victoria, with common names Royal Hakea and Lantern Hakea, is a shrub which is native to Western Australia and noted for its ornamental foliage. The Noongar name for the plant is Tallyongut.
Contents
Description
Hakea victoria is erect in habit, growing to between 1.5 and 3 metres tall. Although the species is evergreen, its foliage ages to various shades of yellow, orange and red. The leaves are rounded and prickly and generally obscure the small cream-coloured flowers which appear from mid-winter to mid-spring. The woody fruits are about 25 mm long and between 15 and 20 mm wide.
Distribution
The species occurs in the coastal region between Albany and Esperance, including the Fitzgerald River National Park.
Taxonomy
The type specimen of Hakea victoria was collected near West Mount Barren (located in what is now the National Park) by botanist James Drummond and was first described by him in 1847 in The Inquirer newspaper. The specific epithet is named for Queen Victoria.
Cultivation
The species requires a well drained sunny, situation and will tolerate moderate frost. Plants are not suited to humid conditions; even if they survive, foliage colour will be poor. Propagation is easy by seed, but quite difficult from cuttings.
