Ravensthorpe's Royal Hakea, Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342735)
Rockingham, Australia
January 10, 2018 1:23am CST
In a previous life we lived in Ravensthorpe in Western Australia and we returned there recently for a few days. We travelled into the Fitzgerald National Park and were surprised to find there are still an astonishing amount of wildflowers in bloom.
One of the more spectacular plants is the Royal Hakea (Hakea Victoria) which is native to the area and noted for its spectacular foliage. The tough, variegated bracts range in colour from yellow to deep orange and red.
James Drummond, West Australia’s first botanist, named the plant in 1847 in honour of Queen Victoria. The plants grow to 3 metres or more (9 feet plus) and when the sun shines through the bracts, the effect is that of a lantern leading to its other common name of ‘lantern hakea’. The leaves are rounded and prickly and mostly obscure the small cream-coloured flowers. Don’t you think it is beautiful?
17 people like this
17 responses
@RasmaSandra (81226)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Jan 18
Just lovely. How is your summer going I need to hear about sunshine these gray dark winter days
3 people like this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
10 Jan 18
@JudyEv Yes I think it's so beautiful and so unique. I love plants, and I would love to see this one up close.
3 people like this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
10 Jan 18
@JudyEv Really cool plant, thank you for posting this picture.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
10 Jan 18
So unique are the flowers in your region. Love to see the pics of them. We have some flowers that are protected and only grow in certain areas. Many are woodland flowers.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
10 Jan 18
@JudyEv I love to see your pics and read your stories about your area. I have always been fascinated with Australia and hoped to one day venture there. Would take my winning the lottery to do so though. So, I will have to be content with stories and pics.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342735)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 18
@ElusiveButterfly I'll keep my fingers crossed about the lottery. Wouldn't that be great? 
@snowy22315 (182922)
• United States
10 Jan 18
It defintely is interesting to look at. I had an Australian friend once who sent me pics of some of your more interesting foilage. He also sent me a recording of a kookburra's cry which was very entertaining!
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16806)
• China
10 Jan 18
It is a really peculiar plant ! Its bracts look like cabbage.Out of curiosity,I search it online.It belongs to proteaceae family.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16806)
• China
11 Jan 18
@JudyEv The link below shows how plants of proteaceae family are distributed .
Family: Proteaceae (protea family)Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angios
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342735)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jan 18
@changjiangzhibin89 Thanks for that information. It's interesting that some of our species are cultivated in Africa.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
12 Jan 18
yes it's very colourful.. and would brighten any landscape...
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
13 Jan 18
@JudyEv yes you can see the different colours...
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
and its beautiful tree, I have never seen like that in my place, maybe in your place only. The leaves are unique.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342735)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 18
I don't think you would find them in any other country.
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
I believe it can only be found in your country
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342735)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jan 18
They are tough, harsh plants - and quite prickly.
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Jan 18
Very unusual looking plants. I wonder if they would flourish in our climate.
1 person likes this
@rina110383 (24492)
•
10 Jan 18
Definitely, it is! My first time to see one. We don't have that kind here in my country.
1 person likes this
