What truly sets the Leucospermum apart, however, is its unique blend of elegance and wildness. The flowers are made up of many slender, almost spindly petals that curl back to reveal a central cluster of delicate stamens. This gives the flower an energetic, almost fireworks-like quality, making it a favorite among designers and gardeners alike.
Leucospermum thrives in Mediterranean climates, adding to its charm as a symbol of natural resilience and beauty. Its graceful form has earned it the nickname "pincushion" due to the striking resemblance to a pincushion... a perfect fit for a flower so full of life and energy.
Whether in a field, garden, or a floral arrangement, the Leucospermum never fails to captivate anyone who takes a moment to admire it. It’s not just a flower; it’s a reminder of nature’s ability to weave elegance and wildness into a single, breathtaking bloom.
This winter has been one for the record books in California when it comes to rainfall. So far, we’ve broken records for any 22-day period between October to January. Parts of the state have seen over 20 inches of rain to-date (and still growing) but that number has a long way to go to beat 1982-1983 which totaled nearly 43 inches.
The nearby mountain tops are snow packed surrounding our valley in a winter wonderland. While spring may still be a little over three weeks away, we’re ready to begin the seasonal transition into Leucospermum season. With even brighter hues and plenty of texture… we’re 'Spring-Ready' or perhaps better said ‘Pincushion Ready' even though winter is still rampaging through the fields like a lion.
There has rarely been a better time for spring’s arrival. As the 19th-century writer Harriet Ann Jacobs noted “when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”
Leucospermum, like the Erubescens pictured above, are exquisite and incredibly long-lasting cut flowers, with vibrant, colorful blooms. Then, adding some textural varieties of Banksia and Grevillea take an arrangement from being ordinary to extraordinary.
If you'd like even more variety, mix in blooms like alstroemeria, ranunculus and snapdragons. Sturdy stem flowers are a big benefit, as they will stand up better in the container. Don’t forget to use some lush foliage like Grevillea Ivanhoe as a filler which, by the way, will add even more texture to the design. Most importantly, you're the artist so select colors and blooms that inspire your creativity. Flower arranging is a practice of resourcefulness, which requires experimentation and imagination. If you like what you've made, then you've accomplished the goal!
It is that time of the year once again when our pincushion fields start to look like fireworks displays that were pulled right out of the sky and tossed onto the steep hillsides. And when it comes to the most ‘Eye-Catching’ display, there’s no doubt Leucospermum Blanchito takes first prize for its dazzling color and texture.
There’s nothing more breathtaking than a field full of blooms in rich reddish-orange and golden hues, each flower, large with a diameter of almost 6 inches. This pincushion is one of the new hybrids from the University of Hawaii's research project on Maui. A gorgeous selection that is a mix of 75 % Leucospermum lineare, and vestitum making up the balance of its family line. Blancito is extremely prolific, long stemmed and has a very good vase life.
Spring may be a long way off, but if you could use a winter pick-me-up right this minute, we have the perfect antidote. A gorgeous protea cultivar that’s certain to boost your spirits and take the chill out of a cold winter day.
Trish Compacta! Think Pink and so velvety soft (don’t you just want to reach out & feel those satiny petals?). This protea is a wonderful mix of compacta and laurifolia with the classic flawless-colored floral bracts in a rich pink (like compacta) and silvery-white highlights that surround the same pink colored center dome. Trish Compacta blooms winter through early spring… which means you should be enjoying them, umm right now!
When harvested and mixed with other proteas (and some textural Berzelia), there’s no doubt Trish Compacta delivers nature's best remedy to cure the winter blues.
Within the wonderfully diverse world of Leucospermum or more commonly called pincushions, Erubescens ranks among the most distinct, captivating and eye-catching. They’re so easy to spot, petite oval flowerheads 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter and clustered in four to eight together at the end of the stems. They are somewhat asymmetical with the styles leaning a bit towards the stem. Each individual flower starts out yellow, gradually opening to reveal a bright crimson, from which long styles stick out, giving the flowerhead as a whole the appearance of a single pincushion.
Other common names for this intriguing Leucospermum are Fruit Salad, Langeberg pincushion, and orange flame pincushion. Blooms are produced early spring into summer and can last on the bush for up to two months.
It’s that time of the year when our pincushion fields start to look like fireworks displays that were pulled right out of the sky and tossed onto the steep hillsides. And when it comes to the ‘Best in Show’ display, there’s no doubt Leucospermum Brandi dela Cruz takes the gold for its dazzling carpet of color and texture. A field full of blooms in rich golden-yellow with orange tints and each flower, large with a diameter of almost 6 inches. This pincushion is one of the new hybrids from the University of Hawaii's research project on Maui. A gorgeous selection that is mostly a mix of Leucospermum reflexum and lineare parents. Brandi dela Cruz is extremely prolific, long stemmed and has a very good vase life.
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.
