Hakea lorea (R.Br.) R.Br.

Growth Form

Hakea lorea (R.Br.) R.Br. grows as either a gnarled tree up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall, or a 1 to 5 m (3 to 16 ft) high shrub, and forms a lignotuber.

Indumentum

Its branchlets and leaves are thickly covered in either flattened, soft silky hairs, or short, soft, matted woolly hairs. These hairs mostly persist over time, but branchlets eventually become smooth.

Bark Characteristics

The trunk has thick, cork-like bark marked with many furrows.

Leaf Morphology

The leaves are needle-shaped, either single or forked, and measure 15 to 70 centimetres (6 to 28 in) long and 1 to 2.5 millimetres (0.039 to 0.098 in) wide; they may grow upright or droop.

Inflorescence and Flower Color

The inflorescence holds 15 to 200 individual small flowers, which can be yellow, white, or green.

Flowering Period

Flowering occurs mostly from April to September.

Inflorescence Rachis

The inflorescence rachis is usually 50–250 mm (2.0–9.8 in) long, and is thickly covered in short, soft, silky hairs.

Perianth and Pistil

The perianth is 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long, and the pistil is 15–33 mm (0.59–1.30 in) long; both structures are covered in short, soft hairs.

Fruit Characteristics

The fruit are 2.5–5.4 cm (0.98–2.13 in) long and 0.9–2.8 cm (0.35–1.10 in) wide, with a long, curved, tapering beak.

Common Name and Distribution Area

This species, commonly called cork tree, is distributed across the interior of central and northern Australia.

Range Extent

Its range extends from southern Cape York Peninsula in the northeast, south to the Darling Downs in the southeast, and west to northern South Australia and the Pilbara.

Cultivation Traits

In cultivation, it is a slow-growing but attractive plant valued for its leaves and bark.

Cultivation Requirements

Full sun and good drainage support healthy growth of this species.