Hakea victoria

Another option for the Foliage fans. While most Hakeas are grown for their flowers, this oddball is all about the (Mature) leaves and their outrageuos colors.

One of the worlds most unique and amazing plants, fittingly named to honour a queen and native to sandplains on our own southern coast. Broad, leathery, prickly edged leaves (scratchy rather than dangerous) hug the vertical branches and borne among them during spring are creamy white pincushion like flowers, followed by woody fruit. The true spectacle however is that upon flowering all the leaves flush with amazing shades of red, yellow and orange with the whole plant appearing like a gaudy artists impression of some long lost prehistoric life form. Low summer humidity and poor sandy soil are likely to bring out the best colouration and most likely chance of survival. Not suitable for the east coast but a possibility perhaps in drier, less humid, inland areas. It does have a reputation for being challenging to grow. I suspect largely due, as is so often the case, to overwatering and too rich a soil. As young plants they have been vigorous and perfectly heat tolerant in the nursery and would appear to have the utmost chance of success. Offered here so that you may experiment too. Report back with results.