Protea, Sugarbush 'Sylvia'

Protea Sylvia is a cross between P.eximia x P.susannae. Though this South African seedling was first discovered in 1977, it was not wid...Read Moreely grown until 1995. Now it has hit the florist trade big time with 330 000 stems of Sylvia being exported annually in 2002 from So. Africa. I bet many more are now exported. It was also found that substituting glucose at 2.5% in the water instead of the usual sucrose, kept Sylvia from getting the usual blackened leaves as well as prolonged the vase life up to 20 days.

Like all proteas, Sylvia prefers full sun, but can survive in a heavier soil mix if well-drained and also higher pH than other proteas. Once established, Sylvia also tolerates more frost than other proteas to 20 degrees as well as being more drought tolerant. Sylvia is one of the easier ones to grow. It can be used as a wind screen if pruned into a hedge for it has a denser habit. And as stated above, it is an excellent cut flower and used extensively in the florist trade. Can also be grown as a container specimen.

In general:
The genus Protea was named after the Greek God Proteus who could assume many shapes because like him, Proteas come in so many different forms. The king protea, Protea cynaroides is the national flower of South Africa where most originate from the mountainous coastal land of Cape Flora region. They are now grown in New Zealand, Australia, California and Hawaii.

Proteas will attract bees and birds to your garden. They are full of nectar and often are called sugarbushes. Some are so sticky from nectar, insects actually get trapped in them. They grow best in full sun where the days are warm and the nights cool. Generally protea like acidic, well draining soil. You can add peat moss and bark to a good soil mix or use a soil less mixture. Add perlite or pumice to increase drainage which is most important to have. Water moderately until well established then they are somewhat drought tolerant, needing only occasional deep watering. Most can tolerate temps down to 25 if established though prefer no frost.

Protea are not heavy feeders. According to the protea expert, Dennis Perry, they need much less fertilizer, about 1/8th to 1/4th of other plants. Proteas like to have sulfur, magnesium and iron available to them in higher amounts than you would ordinarily use on other plants. However, phosphorus and calcium is harmful to them, so select fertilizers that are very low in these 2 nutrients. Mr. Perry suggests using Epsom Salts and Iron sulfate as soil amendments. A slow release, low phosphate fertilizer in late winter and mid summer is best. You do not want to encourage rapid growth as this may weaken the plant.

Unfortunately, seedlings from species can be difficult to keep alive due to fungal diseases. Vegetative propagation may be easier. To propagate hybrids you need to take cuttings of semi hardwood in late summer and autumn. Many root easily.

Prune after your protea flowers, removing old blooms and shaping plant. Do not prune stems that have not bloomed for these are next years blooming wood.