Esperance Hakeas

Very hardy with attractive flowers, interesting foliage and sculptured growth habits.

Hakeas are often the neglected genus from the Proteaceae family, yet there are over 150 species and between them, they do everything their closest relative Grevillea does and often more. For a start hakeas are endemic to Australia occurring nowhere else, grevilleas on the other hand are also found in Sulawesi, New Guinea and New Caledonia, although Australia has many more species.

Physically there are a couple of distinct differences between Hakea and Grevillea, most noticeably are the seed capsules, which with Hakea are thick and woody, plus (with most species) do not open to shed their seed until the plant dies or is burnt in a bushfire. Grevilleas on the other hand have much thinner seed capsules, which release their seed annually.

A common misconception is that all hakeas have sharp prickly foliage. This is certainly true with a number of species, but many have flat blunt leaves and even some with needle-like foliage, are quite soft to touch. So there is considerable variation.

Below is probably the best known and widely grown Hakea, ie Hakea laurina or the Pincushion Hakea. This species not only has beautiful and unusual flowers, but flat unarmed foliage that with some forms weeps to the ground. It is quite common around Esperance, from coastal areas to around 100 km inland.

Pincushion Hakea, Hakea laurina

Another difference between hakeas and grevilleas is the foliage. With flat foliage (like a conventional leaf) each side of the Hakea leaf blade looks the same; in other words there is no top or bottom to the leaf. Whereas with grevilleas, the top side is markedly different in appearance to the underneath (bottom) side.

The strongly honey scented Hakea corymbosa or Cauliflower Hakea, so called as the flowers form in tight cream/greenish clusters and it really does look like a cauliflower. It occupies a similar range to the Pincushion Hakea above, but is more common in low lying areas around swamps. It grows as a very compact bush to one and a half metres.

Cauliflower Hakea, Hakea corymbosa

Although not always the case, hakeas tend to grow in areas of periodic flooding or in seepage zones, whereas most grevilleas prefer better drainage. This adaptation to low lying areas does not necessarily mean they are more difficult to grow, as typically these habitats are ephemeral regarding the presence of moisture and often dry out completely during summer, meaning most hakeas are really tough, being able to withstand wet and dry conditions.

Around Esperance the Hakea varia or the Variable-leaved Hakea, is often found growing around freshwater swamps alongside the Cauliflower Hakea above. It too is strongly honey scented and structurally interesting, often growing into unusual sculptured shapes. It is called the Variable-leaved Hakea because the leaves can be smooth edged or highly toothed, with many variations between. The form near me tends to be very spreading and rarely exceeding a metre in height.

A naturally sculptured Hakea varia, around a metre in height x 2 metres diameter.

The same Hakea varia photographed at night.

Variable-leaved Hakea, Hakea varia

I regard myself as being very lucky to have a third Hakea growing with the above Cauliflower and Variable-leaved Hakeas. It too has honey scented flowers and highly variable foliage, however growth wise it is a more normal spreading shrub to around 2 metres in height. Its name is Hakea trifurcate or the Two-leaf Hakea. Note the broad leaves alongside the finely divided ones. These can vary tremendously, with some plants being mainly broad leaved, whilst others all finely divided. There seems to be little reason why this should be so, other than those plants with broad foliage tend to occupy the better watered areas. These hakeas are widespread in the WA Wheatbelt and prefer seepage zones, often around swamps.

Two-leaf Hakea, Hakea trifurcate

As with grevilleas, Hakea flowers vary in composition, forming long or short brushes, plus large and small flower clusters. Hakea flowers also come in a variety of colors, plus some have highly colorful foliage.

Hakea victoria or the Royal Hakea is not an Esperance species, but grows down the road a little in the East & West Mt Barren area, ie on the coast from Ravensthorpe and would probably have the most colourful foliage of any Hakea. It is quite a tall shrub with some growing to over 3 metres. It prefers sandy soils over granite or heavier loams.

Royal Hakea, Hakea victoria

To further emphasise the variability of this genus, some hakeas grow into large dense shrubs or small trees; others are small and spindly, with everything between. Still others grow into living sculptures, providing interest even when not in flower. The foliage (as shown above) is ridiculously variable, but so too are the seed capsules. These can be smaller than your fingernail, or almost as big and round as a cricket ball. Others growing into amusing shapes, like the Frog Hakea.

There is even more to hakeas; birds feed from them, find protection from predators and larger birds, or build their nests within their foliage, particularly if prickly, so these plants occupy a strong ecological niche not only in the bush, but also in your garden.

To end with, I present Hakea clavata or the Coastal Hakea (Not a good common name), which only grows on granite outcrops ranging from the coast to inland mallee regions, where very common. It is a bushy shrub to 2 metres in height and grows in shallow soil over the granite, where its roots will penetrate into any fissure. Due to the hot drying summer conditions it is often the only sizable plant on an outcrop, and does this by producing thick fleshy leaves (almost succulent) to conserve moisture. It has developed another necessary survival mode different to most hakeas whereby it releases its seed annually without the need of bushfire. This is important as most fires cannot traverse the often large open areas of bare rock, making the usual method of seed release (after fire) largely redundant.

Coastal Hakea, Hakea clavata

There is a Hakea for almost every garden situation including the most difficult, so if you ask at your local Garden Centre, you will probably be surprised by the variety of tough and interesting plants available.

What is a Lily? A mini botany lesson

There is much disagreement even amongst botanists, but there are similar characteristics!

Most lilies once to belonged to the family Liliaceae. However more recently, many genera have been placed in other botanical families such as the mat-rushes (genus Lomandra) and grasstrees (genus Xanthorrhoea), now in the families Dasypogonaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae. Nevertheless, they all have some basic features that place those plants into this lily area of classification.

Lilies can be found in most parts of the world with thousands of species and hundreds of genera. So as can be imagined, they come in many guises. In Australia (under the old classification) there were around 60 genera and 300 species, giving us somewhere around 7-8% of the world's lily species.

A typical lily flower, this is the prolific Chamaescilla corymbosa, or Blue Stars. It is a small herb growing from a tuber each winter/spring, and occurring extensively in all southern Australian States.

Blue Stars, Chamaescilla corymbosa

So what is a lily? Firstly they are herbs; i.e. they are not woody with a cambium layer like most shrubs and trees. The leaves are parallel-veined and not interconnected with other veins (reticulated). The flowers have petals and sepals (sepals are the parts that cover the flower in bud), but with lilies, orchids, etc, they are usually petal-like in both color and texture, although they may differ in shape and size.

Blue Stars often carpet the ground where they occur, making a particularly colorful display.

The flowers are made up of three petals and three sepals (although they can appear to be the same (then both known as tepals), however at the flower base, the sepals are the ones on the outside, with the petals on the inner portion next to the (3 or more often 6) stamens. The ovary sits on top of the petals, not below them. So if you have a plant with all these features, then you have a lily or a plant once grouped with them.

A Wurmbea species (collectively known as Early Nancies) that some botanists have now placed in the family Colchicaceae, although some still retain it in Liliaceae. It is slightly smaller than the Blue Stars above, and some species commonly flower with them.

Another Wurmbea species, but is usually only seen around ephemeral swamps following bushfires. Most lilies respond very well to fires, usually producing mass flowering in the following growing season.

Wurmbea species

The pretty Fringe Lily (genus Thysanotus), like the Early Nancies above, have by some botanists been placed in the family Anthericaceae, although some still retain them in Liliaceae. Generally a larger plant than those above, with some creeping/climbing and others with a shrubby appearance. However many are spindly and go unnoticed until they appear in flower, then you cannot miss them.

Fringe Lily, Thysanotus species

A closer photo of another Thysanotus species. It is interesting to note that these flowers close at night or on overcast days, only to reopen during sunnier periods. The fringe first folds into the petals, then the petals fold lengthwise and close together. The narrower sepals then partially cover them. Most lilies have this habit of closing at night, although these fringe lilies would rank amongst the most complex and delicate to do so.

A very common lily particularly around granite outcrops, are the Bulbine Lilies (genus Bulbine). These occur throughout Australia where suitable conditions are found, possibly because the water run-off from the granite provides a prolonged moist habitat for them. These too have been removed from the family Liliaceae by some botanists and placed into the family Asphodelaceae.

Bulbine Lily, Bulbine species

Below is one of the Rush-lilies, or in this case the Autumn Lily (genus Tricoryne), Like some of the fringe lilies, they are almost impossible to find when not in flower, being able to blend perfectly into other vegetation. Note the tufted stamens, an added feature to enhance their interest and beauty. These lilies like the fringe lilies have also been placed by some into the family Anthericaceae

Autumn Lily, Tricoryne species

Next the Grass Lilies from the genus Caesia, now relocated by some botanists from the family Liliaceae to Anthericaceae, along with the fringe and rush lilies. As with the others they are virtually impossible to spot without their flowers, which with most species occur in numbers along the stem.

Below is another grass lily, this time Caesia viscida (named in 1990) a rare and little known species previously only collected from the (near Esperance) Cape Le Grand National Park. I discovered three new colonies after a bushfire next door to me. It forms quite a large tussock of about 50 cm diameter, and the approximately 40 cm long leaves are very viscus, i.e. sticky, and usually have sand grains attached near their base. The flowers are hidden, originating from near ground level and are mostly concealed by the spreading leaves. So it was quite exciting to discover the identity of this plant, after having walked past them several times and assumed (not a good idea with plants) that it was a sedge, currently without flowers.

Grass Lily, Caesia viscida

Once placed in Liliaceae, then into Xanthorrhoeaceae and now by some into Dasypogonaceae, the Mat-rushes from the genus Lomandra. These occur in all Australian States, plus in New Caledonia and New Guinea. This is an interesting conundrum as Western Australia is the only State with most of the other genera from Dasypogonaceae. So it seems doubtful that the other States, let alone countries, are going to readily recognise the latest family change. Such is the confused fate/state of some flora with lily connections.

Below are Grasstrees after fire from the genus Xanthorrhoea and the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, yes the same family the mat-rushes above are/were once placed. These however are retained by most taxonomists in Xanthorrhoeaceae. These large plants some to several metres in height are still technically herbs and not trees at all. The trunks are made from the base of the tough long, but relatively slender leaves (the major part being burnt off during bushfires). These are cemented together by the resin produced by the plant, which becomes liquefied during hot bushfires, the centre of the plant is relatively soft and pithy, but is protected by the 3 cm or so thick, cemented, leaf-base trunk. These grasstrees love fire and few are killed even by the hottest bushfire, many will only flower after they have been burnt, as can be seen by all the developing flowering spikes in the photo.

So why you may ask, does this very un-lily like plant get lumped in with them. As can be seen in the photograph, the structure of the flower is very lily-like, there are three small petals, plus three small (similar looking) sepals, six stamens and a superior ovary. These flower spikes can be several metres in length and contain thousands of tiny cream flowers, they are consequently a great food bonanza when in flower and are a great favorite with honeyeating birds and numerous insects.

Grasstree flower-spike, Xanthorrhoea species

There are of course many other common Australian lily species, but space prohibits their inclusion, the above is just an indication of what makes a lily a lily, combined with a taxonomic riddle that has been around for a very long time and shall probably remain so for some time yet.

Not all, but many of the small ephemeral lilies produce a small tuber. These are quite edible and were commonly eaten by the aborigines, they are tasty being like a small crunchy (less starchy) potato. The aborigines also used the resin from grasstrees as an adhesive to make axes, knifes, spears, etc. The grasstree flower spikes were also used for short hand spears. So lilies are not only pretty, but some have very practical uses too.

Many people go to great lengths to find orchids, but lilies can be just as exciting to hunt down as like orchids, you must be in the right place at the right time to find them. They are I think just as attractive to view and photograph, and with over 300 species within Australia and still probably new ones to discover, they would prove to be a worthy extension of interest, if not a passion in the making.

Two Conospermum species, plus a botany lesson

Conospermum or Smokebush belong to the spectacular Proteaceae family.

There are more than sixty smokebush species occurring in most Australian States, but are most numerous and diverse in the SW region of WA (the wheatbelt). Generally they are low to medium sized shrubs, often with striking floral displays that are used in the cut flower industry. There are several species in the Esperance region, but two outshine the others when it comes to display. These are Conospermum distichum and Conospermum teretifolium.

The Conospermum distichum smokebush is a bushy shrub growing to less than a metre and usually (in the Esperance region) occurring in small colonies on deep sandy soil. It mass flowers during spring producing a striking bluish grey (smoky) floral display.

Smokebush, Conospermum distichum

Conospermum teretifolium the Spider Smokebush grows to over a metre, also on deep sandy soils, but as scattered plants or only a few individuals. The flowers form in dense creamy white heads during late spring to early summer.

Spider Smokebush, Conospermum teretifolium

Like most people interested in botany, I have often been caught out on identification. On occasion I have seen (to me) a new species and on keying out the botanical features, it eventually indicates that it belongs to this or that family. But being familiar with some species and genera within that family, I think it can't be as it looks nothing like them. So believing I have made an error, I retrace my steps, only to arrive back again at the highly suspicious family. So reluctantly I investigate, only to find the key was correct and I had encountered yet another variation of the taxonomic features.

These two Conospermum species are also very dissimilar, but now have a look at the flowers, first the C. distichum smokebush. Note the small petals and densely woolly flowers.

Now the Conospermum teretifolium the Spider Smokebush, see how large the flowers are in comparison, with no hairs and the long thin petals.

So how come these completely different plants have been placed in the same genus? The secret is in the structure of the flowers, and this applies not only to these two species, but also to the hundreds of other species in the large Proteaceae family. These Proteaceae plants are found in several countries, although Australia and South Africa have the greatest diversity of species. These include the Australian Banksia, Hakea, Grevillea, Isopogon, Persoonia, Conospermum, etc, also the Protea, Leucospermum, Leucadendron, etc, from South Africa.
The similarity of these plants world wide, is they all have four perianth-segments (4 petal-like structures), with four stamens that are either attached directly to the petal-like structures, or to the perianth (flower) tube itself. There are other features like a superior ovary (where the floral tube runs uninterrupted to below the seed bearing structure, ie the ovary), but basically you have 4 petals + 4 attached stamens.

Now the main differences between the genera relate to the seed and/or, the seed bearing structure, which with Conospermum is a hairy obconical seed/nut. Conospermum in Latin means a cone [shaped] seed.

Therefore both these very different looking plants, have with close examination, 4 petals + 4 attached stamens + obconical seed/nuts!

Why not checkout the above features on the Proteaceae plants in your garden or bush? Then look at the different seeds and seed carrying arrangements. So now you should be able to recognise any Proteaceae plant from anywhere in the world, even if you have never seen them before.

Four Esperance Lechenaultia (fan-flower) species

The genus Lechenaultia is named after a French botanist who accompanied the Baudin expedition to Australia 1800-1804.

Lechenaultia is part of the large flora family of Goodeniaceae. Other better known genera include, Goodenia, Scaevola, Dampiera, etc. As a family of fan-flowers there are hundreds of species occurring throughout Australia, their flowers come in all colors and the plants are usually very common after fire or when there has been soil disturbance. Most are small shrubs, although there are also many non-woody species (herbs); the Esperance region species grow in a variety of habitats, from coastal dunes, to sandy heath and dry mallee.

Most Goodeniaceae species have a distinctively fan shaped flower, although some need close examination to appreciate this feature, the foliage varies greatly from tiny leaves to large fleshy ones, some armed with sharp spines, but normally it is the shape of the flowers and their bright colors that draw the attention.

The four Lechenaultia species from around Esperance come in many colors.

Lechenaultia formosa the so called Red Lechenaultia

Lechenaultia formosa grows in a sandy soil around seasonally wet depressions and flowers best when the soil is moist.

The flowers come in an amazing array of colors. These illustrated are only a few examples.

The "Heath Lechenaultia," Lechenaultia tubiflora does not initially look like a fan-flower, but has all the necessary features to place it well and truly within the genus. This species likes the deep sandy soils, obviously preferring better drained sites, but like Lechenaultia formosa above, has an interesting although less varied range of color variations. Commonly the flowers are either red or a cream/green color as shown below.

But not satisfied with these colors, it produces bicolor ones that combine the two. Either the red or the cream can be at the top, with the other color making up the remainder of the flower. These color forms are at a guesstimate, a third fully red, a third fully Cream/green and the remaining third a bicolor between the two.

Lechenaultia brevifolia does not occur in the Esperance coastal region, but can be found further inland, usually in a sandy soil over a heavier clay base. Here the temperature is warmer than in coastal regions and surface rainfall drying quickly, but the heavier soil under the sand would probably retain moisture for some time. It is usually a very open small shrub, with the flowers resembling Lechenaultia biloba. It was described in 1987, so only a recently recognised species.

This last Lechenaultia also only occurs inland, and usually after fire where it might persist for a few seasons. It is a low shrub and a prolific flowerer, favouring a sandy/clay soil in seasonally (winter) damp depressions, or seepage zones. Its name is Lechenaultia papillata and like the blue flowering species above was first described in 1987.

These plants are often considered difficult to grow in the garden, but given similar conditions to where they normally occur, they are quite hardy. However soil type and moisture availability are critical requirements.