We love cold hardy plants in the Protea family, not only do they have exotic flowers, they can sport foliage that is just as interesting , Hakea nodosa is another shrubby Hakea that is known as yellow Hakea. Multiple fine stems emerge from the ground and are staunchly vertical. They have few side branches and each stem is clad in slightly swollen blue phyllodes, these are not prickly and are about 1 cm long. In spring, very small yellow flowers crowd the leaf axils on older wood.- not conspicuous but hummingbirds find them. An upright small shrub to about 6′ tall and 2′ wide. Pollinated flowers produce large seed pods that can cause the stems to nod, not sure if this is what the specific name refers to. Moderately fast growing in native, un-amended soil that drains, including clay soils that dry in summer. Water to establish then extremely tolerant of drought. A wonderful textural evergreen that we love at Xera. An excellent companion to Grevilleas, Ceanothus, Halimium, Arctostaphylos.. Fulll sun to very very light shade. This form has been cold hardy below 10ºF in western Oregon with a probable lowest temperature around 5ºF. Native to areas of South Australia into Tasmania. Ours are grown from high elevation, cold hardy seed from Tasmania. Lovely soft, rare shrub . Pronounced HAY- kee -uh. But with an Australian accent. Well adapted to the Oregon coast and can be cultivated on sand. Deer resistant, but protect newly installed plants from rabbits. Very easy to grow, a natural with ornamental grasses and large hardy succulents, Cactus, Agaves. Not prickly but rather soft.
