Hakea francisiana

Emu Tree / Grass-leafed Hakea

Botanical Name: Hakea francisiana
Family: Proteaceae
Origin: South Australia and Western Australia (arid to semi-arid regions)
Plant Type: Evergreen large shrub to small tree

Overview

Hakea francisiana — the Emu Tree or Grass-leafed Hakea — is one of South Australia's most ornamental native large shrubs, prized for its spectacular long, cylindrical pinkish-red flower spikes that burst into colour from late winter through spring. Native to the arid and semi-arid regions of SA and WA, it is exceptionally well adapted to Adelaide's Mediterranean climate — thriving in full sun, shrugging off summer drought, and tolerating moderate frosts with ease. Its long, needle-like silver-green leaves provide year-round structural texture, while the winter-to-spring flowering season delivers a dramatic display that draws honeyeaters, spinebills, and native bees in abundance.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 2–5 m H x 1.5–3 m W (typically 2–4 m H in SA garden conditions)
• Growth Rate: Moderate; 20–30 cm per year; upright and self-branching, forming a well-structured large shrub to small tree with an open, airy canopy
• Foliage: Long, rigid, needle-like silver-green leaves up to 15 cm long x 3 mm wide; slightly curved; evergreen and highly textural throughout all seasons
• Flowers: Long, cylindrical pinkish-red to deep crimson-pink pin-cushion spikes; late winter to spring (July–October in SA); non-fragrant; profuse and highly ornamental
• Seasonal Interest: Showstopping late-winter to spring flowering display; decorative woody seed follicles add interest through summer and autumn; evergreen foliage maintains structure year-round
• Wildlife Value: Outstanding bird attractor — honeyeaters, spinebills, and wattlebirds are frequent visitors; also highly attractive to native bees and other pollinators
• Tolerance: Drought-tolerant once established; moderate frost hardy; coastal-tolerant; wind-tolerant; heat-tolerant; tolerates alkaline soils; low tolerance for persistently high humidity or poorly drained soils
• Planting Density: Informal screen or windbreak: plant 1.5–2 m apart (approx. 0.5–0.7 plants per metre run); feature specimen: allow 2.5–3 m clearance from structures and paths; mass native planting: 2 m centres
• Pet Friendly: Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats; however, the sharp needle-like leaf tips can cause physical injury to eyes and skin — supervise pets and small children around newly planted specimens

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun preferred for best flowering density and compact form; tolerates light shade but flowers less prolifically and may develop a more open, sparse habit
• Soil: Well-drained sandy, gravelly, or loam soils essential; does not tolerate waterlogged conditions, compacted heavy clay, or persistently wet situations; drought-resilient once roots are well established
• Water Needs: Establishment: water deeply 2–3 times per week for the first 8–10 weeks, then reduce to weekly for the first full growing season. Established: summer — one deep watering per fortnight during extended dry spells is sufficient; winter — Adelaide's seasonal rainfall is generally adequate and supplementary watering is rarely required
• Maintenance: Low maintenance once established; light tip pruning after flowering encourages a bushier, denser form; avoid heavy pruning into old woody stems; use a native-specific low-phosphorus fertiliser sparingly in early spring only if growth appears sluggish
• Lifespan: 20–40 years in suitable well-drained positions
• Climate Zones: Excellent performer across SA's temperate and Mediterranean zones — Adelaide metropolitan plains, coastal suburbs, Hills foothills, the mid-north, Eyre Peninsula, and inland semi-arid regions; not recommended for high-humidity subtropical environments
• Soil pH: Highly adaptable; tolerates acid to alkaline soils (pH 5.5–8.5)

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Plant 3–5 specimens in a staggered row 1.5–2 m apart as a fast-establishing native windbreak or privacy screen along SA coastal or suburban boundaries
• Use as a bold feature specimen in a native, cottage, or drought-tolerant garden — the vivid winter flower spikes provide dramatic seasonal colour when most other plants are dormant
• Combine with Eremophila, Grevillea, and Callistemon in a layered, low-water native wildlife corridor that carries interest and bird activity from winter right through to late summer

Why You Will Love It

Few Australian natives command attention quite like Hakea francisiana in full late-winter bloom. Those long, vivid pinkish-red spikes — appearing when most of Adelaide's gardens are at their quietest — are an irresistible magnet for honeyeaters and a stunning focal point from street level. It asks almost nothing in return: well-drained soil, full sun, and an occasional deep drink in the height of summer. Whether you need a fast-establishing native screen, a low-fuss bird-attracting feature plant, or a tough boundary planting that handles SA's scorching summers and cold Hills frosts without complaint, the Emu Tree delivers season after season with understated resilience and outstanding seasonal drama.