Are you ready for the excitement of Leucospermum? It’s time to breathe more life into your spring arrangements with these fanciful blooms.
These fanciful Leucospermum plants bring so much pleasure to our hearts during this time of the year. The vibrant red, orange, peach, yellow and bi-colored blooms are formed mainly with long, sprout-like structures that end in a round knob called a pollen presenter. Together, the mass of styles looks a lot like pins bristling from a “pincushion”, a similarity that has given rise to the popular name for this genus.
Leucospermum include some forty-eight species, of which all but three are endemic to South Africa’s Cape Province. Unlike flowers of the genus Protea, which rely on their showy bracts for visual appeal, Leucospermum put all their art into the colors of the flowers themselves as well as the flowing shape of each curving component.
Leucospermum are considered Mediterranean plants, which is good news for anyone living in central and southern California. These stunning plants provide drama and stature in the fields and in designs. They’re gorgeous when flaunted on their own, however, when mingled with other proteas… they make for a breathtaking display!
