Sugarbush is named for its sweet nectar that attracts a wide array of pollinators. The flowers come in shades of pink, red, white, and even bicolor, making them a perfect addition to any color palette. Whether you are going for formal event arrangements or casual gatherings, the striking shape of the flower serves as a focal point that draws the eye.
When mixing Sugarbush into your designs, consider pairing them with other blooms that have complementary shapes and colors. Flowers such as banksia, grevillea, and even other protea varieties can enhance the overall visual impact while maintaining balance. The combination of textures can elevate your floral arrangements. Pairing the rough textures of banksia with the smooth and strong presence of protea adds depth and interest to your designs. Don’t shy away from experimenting with color palettes. A vibrant white Sugarbush can be beautifully contrasted with soft pink, yellow, cream and brown flowers and foliage for a stunning visual effect.
The beauty of Sugarbush makes it an alluring choice for floral designs. Let this versatile protea inspire your next creation. Happy designing!
Protea Pinita... here to spice up your the holiday season! This gorgeous protea hybrid is a blend of magnifica or queen + longifolia. Think LARGE bloom with a slightly waxy appearance and bracts that are flushed and tipped in a bright ‘chili-pepper pink’ then shading to light cream at the base. The central peaked dome is heavily tipped with black, providing a robust and appealing contrast.
Pinita looks fabulous mixed with other protea or combined with an array other colorful flowers and foliage. SO FESTIVE. A touch of royalty but also fluffy and soft... the perfect holiday bloom. Tip? Pinita looks stunning in any arrangement, bouquet or wreath!
Lady Di, a wonderful, ‘newbie’ here on the farm. This stunning hybrid queen is a blend of Protea magnifica ‘queen’ and compacta. With a medium-to-large size bloom, Lady Di plays off more of the soft, velvety appearance of compacta and lacks the woolly beard of the magnifica. Its long floral bracts are pink, plush and tipped in delicate white fur, then shading to cream at the base while surrounding a silvery-pink central dome. Lady Di is a bloom with plenty of charisma that will keep you enchanted for weeks.
Lady Di typically blooms winter through early spring, helping us beat the cold weather blues with its gorgeous color and fabulous texture. In the field it's sensational, but from there the designing ideas started flowing through my mind and mixed in a bouquet, there’s no doubt this protea ranks among the royal.
Spring is a long way off, but if you could use a mid-winter pick-me-up right this minute, we have the perfect antidote. “Andrea”—a bright, cheery and vibrant protea—this lovely cultivar produces large, fuchsia flowers with a silvery central dome and white feathery tips. It has the muted green leaves of the Protea Queen (magnifica) parent and the clear pink flower of the Protea Compacta parent.
There is no doubt that Andrea brings an abundance of winter cheer out in the fields. But once harvested, arranged and displayed her vibes are contagious – the perfect pick-me-up.
Protea aristata (aristata = sharp-tipped leaves), was first collected in 1928 near the town of Ladismith in the Cape Province. Although thought to be common in the Seweweekspoort region, aristata could not be found again until 1953, prior to which it was believed for quite some time that it had become extinct. Aristata, also known as Ladismith sugarbush, Ambassador sugarbush, Small pine sugarbush and Christmas sugarbush, has become one of South Africa's most famous proteas in spite of its relatively late 'discovery'.
Aristrata provides welcome summer blooms – June through August! And, this distinctive protea has unusal pine-needle like foliage which provide a lovely background to its striking large and bright crimson flowers.
