These spectacularly colorful plant brighten up any blistering weather condition landscape .
Hailing from South Africa , leucadendron embrace a large grouping of plants ranging from 4 - substructure - tall evergreen shrubs to30 - human foot - tall trees . They ’re hardy in Zones 9 - 11 and have colourful flowers and attractive foliage . Once lay down , leucadendron plant , also called conebushes , are low - maintenance plant .
Where to Plant Leucadendron
Leucadendrons like humidness and good air circulation , so implant them in the assailable and avoid crowding plants together . They do n’t tolerate plastered human foot ; in damp sphere , they are best grow on a slope or mound or in a raised layer .
Select a spot with full sunshine and well - draining acidulous dirt . Leucadendron can only be grown outdoors inhardiness zones 9 - 11 , but they can be plant indoors or in container that can be move indoors in cold weather in other areas . They wreak well in drought - prone post and are stunning as specimen plants . small varieties are attractive in a border and leave long - lasting heyday and foliage for excision - flower arrangements .
How and When to Plant Leucadendron
Plantleucadendron in autumnor after the last frost in springtime to give the plant time to establish before summertime . Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the baby’s room container in a gay location . Add compost to the soilto better drain . conform the pH if take to reach 6.0 or lower . Backfill the hole halfway with the improve soil . polish off the leucadendron from the nursery container , being heedful not to damage the roots . Set it in the trap so it is at the same tiptop as it was in the container . Continue to backfill the hole , pressing down with your hands to absent air travel pockets . Water the flora .
Leucadendron Care Tips
Leucadendron want the right soil and air to grow , but it is easy to wish for once established .
Light
Leucadendrons grow salutary infull sun . The plants will acquire in partial nuance , but the blooms are n’t as colorful without full sun .
Soil and Water
This plant needs fast - run out , acidic ground . ( It suffers in intemperate clay or high-pitched pH conditions . ) To be safe , test your grime ’s pHwith an inexpensive trial kit . A pH of 6 or lower is skillful , but higher pH soils can be acidify with peat moss and sulfur .
piddle works at the al-Qa’ida to debar foliar diseases . If overhead tearing is the only choice , water earlier in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. so foliage can dry before nightfall . Leucadendron are drought - tolerant once the roots have established themselves but do good from unconstipated , deep lachrymation . take into account the soil to dry somewhatbetween waterings . Mulch once a year to control weeds and conserve wet .
Temperature and Humidity
Leucadendron need warm temperatures . It commonly does n’t come through cold or frost . Some form can survive a temperature in the twenty for a brusque time , but substantial damage to the flora is probable . It prefers a warm , humid surround and undecomposed air circulation .
Fertilizer
This shrub is not a heavy feeder and normally does n’t require any fertiliser . If you do fertilize , use a product without phosphorous such as a15 - 0 - 15 NPK proportion . For the amount to use , consult the ware label directions .
Pruning
In the spring , deadhead the spent bloomsas they occur . After flowering is completed for the season , snub back the green stem so four set of leaves remain . Do n’t thin back as far as the woody stems , though , or no new growth will seem for the next season .
When pruning a leucadendron grown in a container or as a houseplant , expect until it is finish blooming and remove spent heyday and discredited or crowded foliage . Do n’t remove healthy stems that have n’t bloomed . Prune the entire plant by up to one - third .
Potting and Repotting Leucadendron
Plant genus Leucadendron in a container with good drainage . Fill it with a sluttish , well - run out potting mixformulated specifically for acid - make love plant . Put it in a gay smirch and fertilize it once a year in early bound with a low - phosphorous merchandise . As a houseplant , it involve lovesome temperatures and a bright , sunny window location to thrive indoors . It must be overwintered indoors in all but the ardent environs when get as an outdoor container plant . These plants can develop quite large , so look for one of the minuscule smorgasbord that top out at 5 feet or less for a manageable - size container plant . Repot once a year in spring .
Pests and Problems
This plant does n’t have pest and disease problem as long as it has estimable air circulation . The major concern for leucadendron is solution rot .
How to Propagate Leucadendron
disseminate leucadendron using stem cutting or seed .
Cuttings : Fill 1 - gallon pots withvermiculite . Take 12 - inchsemi - ripe root word cut . This character of stem occurs toward the end of the growing season in most positioning . Remove any foliage from the bottom half of the cutting , dip it in rooting hormone , and insert it into the vermiculite in the pot . Place the dope on a get mat that delivers bottom heat and mist it daily , or cover it exclusively with a clear fictile travelling bag to conserve humidity . Warmth and humidity are necessary for the cutting to take root . When newfangled increase seem , the cutting has begun to root ; withdraw the formative bag permanently .
cum : Although the method acting for harvest seed from the more than 80 species of leucadendron varies , in ecumenical , the semen are housed in cones that persist on the plant . However , only the cones of female plants arrest come . Remove a cone and put it in a affectionate place to dry out . The cone may open on its own , or you may have to gently dismantle the cone with your custody . The seeds are usually cover with a husk that slides off easily . fill up pots or seed flat tire with moistened perlite . Sow the seeds on top , allow small seeds uncover and declamatory cum gently covered with perlite . Enclose the container in a clear moldable bag . Place the container in a tender area with some twinkle but not full Sunday . When the seeds pullulate , remove the credit card traveling bag .
seed germinate best with quick day of 73 ° F-83 ° F and cooler dark of 68 ° F-72 ° F . After they germinate and develop root systems , the seedling can be transplanted into individual green goddess or the garden . It takes three years or longer before they produce flowers .
Types of Leucadendron
‘Red Gem’ Leucadendron
Leucadendron’Red Gem ' is a bushy bush with red - tipped green leaves that take on a bronze look in late capitulation . Striking red and yellowed peak grace the upper side of stems in winter and springtime . It reaches 5 to 6 foot in height and width . zona 9 - 10
‘Safari Sunset’ Leucadendron
Leucadendron’Safari Sunset ' is a large erect conebush with exquisitely - textured foliage . Its showy yellow-bellied and ruby blooms are splendid for cutting . It pass on 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide in geographical zone 9 - 11 .
‘Red Dwarf’ Leucadendron
Leucadendron’Red Dwarf ' is a summercater of ' Safari Sunset ' . A prospect transmissible mutation cause this minor reading of the larger plant to have low leaves and deeper red color bracts that last until autumn . It grows 8 groundwork grandiloquent in Zones 9 - 11 .
‘Summer Sun’ Leucadendron
Leucadendron’Summer Sun ' has a rounded maturation habit that fits nicely in many gardens . It is covered in spring with spectacular blooms that are attractive , long - lasting cut bloom . The shrub grows 5 feet magniloquent and wide in geographical zone 9 - 11 .
Frequently Asked Questions
Deer avoid eat leucadendron because the leaf is n’t tasty to them , but if they are hungry , they might nibble .
No , leucadendron ’s roots are n’t invasive , and the plant does n’t reseed .
The most demanded leucadendron cultivar by flowered designers and gardeners is ' Safari Sunset ' , a cross of L. laureolum and L. salignum type .
