Protea Flower Growing Conditions

The single most critical factor in growing proteas is to provide adequate water drainage.

Protea flower growing conditions. Protea flowers aren t very difficult to grow but this isn t an easy task either. Cynaroides is a sparsely branched evergreen shrub with leathery elliptic leaves and terminal bowl shaped flowerheads 15 30cm across with red to pink or cream bracts. Proteas put on a gorgeous display in gardens mainly through the late winter and spring months. Protea plants must have well drained soil.

Genus protea are evergreen shrubs or trees with leathery simple entire leaves and dense terminal clusters of tiny 4 petalled flowers surrounded by large petal like bracts details p. If water is allowed to sit and pool on the surface the roots will become waterlogged and the plant will die. Protea juliet is another low growing protea and has an incredible flower. Growing proteas plant in a sunny position where the air circulates freely around the plant they love windy areas.

The sowing time for proteas is from march to may. It s often assumed that proteas and their relatives are australian natives but they in fact hail from south africa. The first thing you need to be aware of is the soil as they need to grow in well drained soil. Planting conditions most proteas prefer soils that are well drained and acidic and we suggest avoiding heavy clay soils.

For example if your summer is very hot and dry but your winter is moderate and wet sowing in autumn will give the protea seedlings a whole winter and spring to become strong before the harsh summer. If the soil drains well good results will usually be achieved. After the seed has been harvested and sorted it must be stored in a cool dry place until it is sown in autumn. A bed should not be wider than 1m the depth not more than 30cm and it must have good drainage.

These bracts are arranged around a centre of tiny florets. Their roots grow mostly horizontally just below the surface of the soil. Choose the season that gives the protea seedlings the most time to grow under favourable conditions. One of the first things necessary in growing protea is soil.

Thus the more sun they receive the better. Instead of the petal arrangement of a normal flower it has bracts which are actually modified leaves. Proteas rarely succeed in heavy clay soils notorious for their poor drainage. Planting proteas on slopes or on slightly elevated mounds is often beneficial because water runoff decreases drainage problems.

However they are closely related to some of our showiest plants such as banksias grevilleas and waratahs. They thrive in sandy acidic well drained and rocky soils. Harvest the seedbuds nine to 12 months after the plants have flowered that is when the plants flower again. If you have a garden with heavy or clay soil consider improving the drainage by using a free draining garden mix and either creating a raised garden bed minimum height 30 45 cm or installing underground drainage pipes.

They are tough and hardy evergreen plants will thrive in exposed positions with poor soils and are also both heat and cold tolerant from 6 to 40. Most of the plants need to be fully exposed to the sun throughout the day. Protea plants are generally hardy but.