Pincushion Flower Leucospermum 'Tango'

Pincushion Flower Leucospermum 'Tango'
Leucospermum

These need excellent drainage but like to be watered. Prefer sandy soil.

Another beauty! I love this, I wonder if it would live here. I have some proteas surviving so could have a chance.

This one is great, Janet. Did you see Scarlet Ribbon??

Spider is fun too.

They sell the seed at www.finebushpeople.co.za that is where I got my protea from, and very cheap because of the exchange rate, but I wasn't so impressed with the leucospermums. These are very interesting! I did get one pack of seed, don't recall the name off my head, but it has red edges to the leaves. I haven't sown it yet! I have 4 protea grandiflora, 1 protea magnifica and 1 neriifolia. I had some more, including 2 of the seruria but they kicked it. Some not yet germinated, they can take up to 4 years. The grandiflora are looking strong and hopeful, others I think will be OK, fingers X'd!

They seem to flower when very young. So I can't wait to see what you get!!!

I got the P grandiflora wrong, it's P cynaroides! Well it sounds the same/similar! They were sown and germinated autumn 2004, now about 10" tall. they are living in the shed and don't mind the frost, it actually triggers germination. The Serruria florida germinated after two hard frosts in the New year, one died that winter, the other lasted until this winter, I should have brought it inside. only had 5 seeds, perhaps try them again. It is exciting thinking I can actually grow ANY protea!

I bought 10 different, 6 had some germination and I lost 3, but the whole lot cost me very little really so worth a try.

They're due for potting on, you have to be really careful as the roots dislike disturbance, even weeding can kill them and they have moss around them which can be bad but trying to be careful!

They truly are the total neglect plant, plant them in terrible soil, never fertilize and do not weed. Sounds perfect. LOL

I planted this as a 1 gallon in my garden 1 year ago. Right now there are four nice blooms. The plant is doing quite well. It is in full sun, on a sloping bank, with average water.

I have planted about 12 Leucospermum in the past two years. A few died...I think they do need a reasonable amount of water when small. The ones that died were from four inch pots. I have had much better luck with 1 gallon protea, likely with a larger root system.

Nhulberg, I have just potted my 4 remaining protea cynaroides into larger pots, they had been in small 3" pots from the start. It doesn't seem to have harmed them, and the roots had nicely filled without going in circles, and I was careful not to disturb them. They looked to be just starting to get new roots. I have read they make a long tap root for a start, and should be planted in the ground as early as possible, but that wasn't an option for me.

The P. magnifica, and recently P neriifolia have died, but P cynaroides now branching. I have potted them into a mix of river soil, leafy compost and wood ash. You shouldn't give them artificial fertiliser with phosphorus, it will kill the roots. In their natural habitat they grow after bush fires and feed on the ash left from burnt vegetation, hence the need to germinate them in a soak with special smoke papers.

This is my little lot, taken on the 11th before repotting

This message was edited Jun 19, 2006 12:42 PM

This message was edited Jun 19, 2006 12:43 PM

When they finally bloom Janet, you will be so chuffed having grown them from the start. I can't wait to see the pictures!

Nhulberg, have you been to the SF Arboretum? They have huge plants growing and they were covered in blooms.


This message was edited Jun 19, 2006 8:32 AM

i will too kell, and I think they will make it! Much better chance of survival if you grow them yourself too, some plants are not good at location change.

I wish you great luck, Janet! You go girl!