Hakea Hybrid 'Burrendong Beauty'

Burrendong Beauty Hakea

Botanical Name: Hakea ‘Burrendong Beauty’ (H. myrtoides × H. petiolaris)
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: Burrendong Arboretum, NSW; hybrid of two WA species
Plant Type: Evergreen spreading shrub (semi-prostrate to low mounding)

Overview

A compact, spreading hakea that puts on masses of deep pink to crimson, pincushion/ball flowers with pale cream styles in winter–spring (often budding from late autumn). Built for Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate: loves full sun, heat and wind, and copes with second-line coastal sites provided drainage is good. Low-seed/sterile habit means colour without weediness.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 1–1.5 m H × 1.5–3 m W (can be kept tighter with pruning)
• Growth Rate: 20-40 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Small, stiff elliptic/obovate grey- to blue-green leaves; new growth can bronze softly
• Flowers: Deep pink–red globular clusters with pale styles, mainly winter–spring; highly bird-attractive
  
• Seasonal Interest: Strong winter–spring colour; neat evergreen texture year-round
• Wildlife Value: Nectar for honeyeaters and pollinating insects; dense cover for small fauna
• Tolerance: Drought-tolerant once established; heat & wind hardy; second-line coastal OK; light–moderate frost tolerant; dislikes waterlogging/high phosphorus; best in low-humidity summers like Adelaide’s. Clay loam OK if raised/mounded
• Planting Density: Mass cover: 1 plant per 1–1.5 m² (≈0.9–1.2 m centres). Low hedge/border: 0.8–1.2 m centres
• Pet Friendly: Generally non-toxic; sap/foliage may irritate sensitive skin—wear gloves when pruning

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun (tolerates light part shade; best bloom in sun)
• Soil: Free-draining sand or sandy/loam; prefers slightly acidic–neutral soils. On calcareous Adelaide soils, improve with organic matter and consider raised beds/mounds to avoid winter wet
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 3–4 weeks in summer (weekly in heatwaves); minimal in winter
• Maintenance: Tip-prune or shear lightly after flowering to keep dense; can prune harder after flowering to reinvigorate. Mulch; feed in spring with low-phosphorus native fertiliser only. Avoid waterlogging
• Lifespan: 10–20+ years in well-drained sites
• Climate Zones: Temperate & Mediterranean SA—excellent on Adelaide Plains, coastal suburbs (second-line) and footslopes; choose frost-sheltered, free-draining microclimates in the Hills
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic–neutral (manage alkalinity with organic matter/iron if needed)

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Low, bird-magnet screen or informal border for sunny boundaries
• Rockeries, embankments & retaining walls (spreading habit, great spill-over)
• Coastal native mixes with lomandra, dianella & westringia
• Feature shrub in water-wise Mediterranean plantings

Why You Will Love It

Months of winter–spring colour, constant bird action, and set-and-forget toughness—perfect for Adelaide gardeners wanting a resilient native that thrives on sun and lean, well-drained soils.