Hakea suberea — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Gum, Nectar

A sweet drink can be made by crushing the nectar-rich flowers.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows in central Australia. Often it is among rocks on ridges. It suits semiarid climates. The soils must be well drained. They can tolerate light frosts. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Australia*,

Countries: Australia

How to Identify

A small tree. It grows 3-9 m tall and spreads 2-5 m wide. The bark is dark and cracked and thick and corky. The trunk is often twisted. The leaves are thin and needle like. They are 12-60 cm long by 0.2-0.3 cm wide. They can have 2-5 segments 30 cm long. The flowering stalks are 4-15 cm long and hang down. The flowers are yellow and clustered on long stalks. They have a honey scent. The fruit are 3-4.5 cm long by 1.7-2 cm wide. They are smooth and have a long curved beak. The seeds are shed each year.

How to Grow

Plants are grown from seed.

Propagation: Seed.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Wikipedia

Hakea suberea is a tree growing to 5 m tall. The species is hermaphroditic. It adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils, tolerating mildly acidic, neutral, and mildly alkaline pH levels. It grows in semi-shade to full sun and prefers moist soil conditions.

Production

Seed grown slowly.

Notes

There are about 130 Hakea species.

Names & Synonyms

Honey hakea, Untjiya

References (15)

Bindon, P., 1996, Useful Bush Plants. Western Australian Museum. p 157
Boomsma, C.D., 1972, Native Tree of South Australia. Woods & Forests Department South Australia, Bulletin No.19. p 203
Cherikoff V. & Isaacs, J., The Bush Food Handbook. How to gather, grow, process and cook Australian Wild Foods. Ti Tree Press, Australia p 190
Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1990, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 5. Lothian. p 233
Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 365
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 189
Hardwick, G., 2001, Economically Useful Plants for Northern Australia: Master Species List. Crusader eBooks.
Holliday, I., 1989, A Field Guide to Australian Trees. Hamlyn. p 226
Latz, P.K., 1996, Bushfires and Bushtucker: Aboriginal plant use in Central Australia. IAD Press Alice Springs p 208
Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 127
Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 184
Milson. J., 2000, Trees and Shrubs of north-west Queensland. DPI p 268
Smith, K & I., 1999, Grow your own bushfoods. New Holland. Australia. p 115
Townsend, K., 1999, Field Guide to Plants of the Dry Tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 62
Wheeler, J.R.(ed.), 1992, Flora of the Kimberley Region. CALM, Western Australian Herbarium, p 477