Heritage plants like proteas, pincushions, blushing brides and cone bushes are common sights in garden centres nowadays, so there’s no excuse for not planting some of your own.
In natural conditions the members of the Proteaceae family grow in poor, well-draining soil with a low, slightly acidic pH of between 5 and 6. The plants prefer hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters, but many will grow well in summer-rainfall areas too.
Soil
Bad drainage is a recipe for disaster, although some species and cultivars are more tolerant of heavy soil than others. Prepare the soil well by mixing in well-decomposed compost that is low in phosphates. Simply filling the planting hole with compost is not a good idea as this only forms a reservoir for water to stand in, which will increase the chances of root rot. Slightly raised beds or mounding of heavy soil will improve drainage, and so will adding a little gypsum to break up the clay when preparing a planting place. Some outlets stock a specialised protea soil mix that can be used if there is any doubt about your garden soil’s suitability. You can also grow all of these plants in large containers.
Position
All fynbos plants need full sun to flower. If proteas, blushing brides (Serruria) and pincushions (Leucospermum) are planted in the shade or semi-shade they will struggle to flower, and cone bushes (Leucadendron) will not produce their brilliantly coloured foliage.
Watering
This story is from the Aug 2017 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Aug 2017 edition of The Gardener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Touch of Class
A cut above the rest and attractive enough to fill all the spaces you can see in your garden or in pots...
Bordering on food aggression!
The economy, fires, drought, Russians, fuel prices, and politicians, dictated what we ate in my youth. The only exception was that Eskom worked...
Quarantining new koi fish
Give your new koi the best start
Big deal GLADIOLI
To get balance in a flower bed, we rely on tall flowering plants to provide height and show off amazing blooms. One of our favourites to plant are gladioli. They might look impressive, come in some gorgeous colours, and are great for a vase, but they are also easy to grow with a few golden rules.
PRETTY FILLER Scabiosa
There are over 70 varieties of Scabiosa (pincushion flower) in both the annuals and perennials categories with arguably some of the best ones local to our country, and excellent pollinator attractors too.
TRIPLE treat
A floral combo that's bursting with colour
CHLOROSIS how to fix it
Chlorosis is not a death sentence for your plants. With prompt identification and the right interventions, you can restore your plants to their lush, vibrant selves.
COREOPSIS 'UpTick'
For an easy-to-grow, tough perennial, with masses of pretty blooms, plant Coreopsis hybrids and watch the bees and butterflies come into your garden.
Decorative Dahlias
With a little basic care, you can grow these showstopping plants in your own backyard with minimal effort.
The beauty of BEGONIAS
For endless colour and a garden that looks vibrant throughout the seasons, these are your go-to choices.
