Fabulous Foliage: Leucadendron Inca Gold

We cheerfully braved the ‘chilly’ start to winter knowing the promise of colorful Leucadendron was on the way… and we’re delighted to say the Inca Gold’s bright yellow bracts have emerged right on time. Fields bursting with this vibrant flowering foliage is the best part about the dawn of winter.

Inca Gold's rich yellow tulip shaped bracts can liven up any space instantly. With just a handful of stems, you can easily bring a burst of sunshine indoors and enjoy the soothing energy of nature. Yellow advances from surrounding colors and enlarges any space. It mimics a sun-filled space, creating feelings of liveliness and optimism. In the natural world, yellow is the color of sunflowers and daffodils, bananas and lemons, bees, numerous birds as well as several of our favorite Leucadendron The many facets of this vivid yellow hue reveal its extremely impactful spirit.

To celebrate the advent of Inca Gold, we’re sharing some of our favorite designs using this fabulous foliage.

Leucadendron Inca Gold

Looking for a winter pick-me-up? With one step into a field of Inca Gold, you can escape to a ‘botanical retreat’ filled with rays of golden sunshine, leaving the winter blues behind. Yes, Leucadendron, please! Who doesn’t love a burst of sunshine on a cold, dreary day? This popular cultivar (which is absolutely stunning during this time of the year) is believed to be a hybrid of L. laureolum and L. salignum yellow. The rich buttery-yellow flowering bracts (think Illuminating) with red tips do not open wide like many Leucadendrons as they tend to keep a closed tulip-like shape.

There’s no doubt the color yellow sparks a broad spectrum of emotions in all of us. While it can be playful and radiant, yellow can also be unforgiving and ominous, which makes it a wildly fascinating hue.

The many facets of the color yellow reveal its extremely impactful spirit.

Yellow can liven up any space instantly. It is, perhaps, one of the easiest ways to bring sunshine indoors and enjoy the soothing energy of nature while relaxing in your home. Yellow advances from surrounding colors and enlarges any space. It mimics a sun-filled space, creating feelings of liveliness and good cheer.

In the field: Leucadendron Inca Gold

Leucadendron Inca Gold, please! Because who doesn’t love a burst of sunshine on a cold winter’s day! This popular cultivar bred in Australia during the 1990’s is believed to be a hybrid of L. laureolum and L. salignum yellow. The rich buttery-yellow flowering bracts with red tips do not open wide like many other leucadendrons as they tend to keep a closed tulip-like shape. Inca Gold are at their peak for color and harvesting during the early winter and make a breath-taking addition to bouquets and arrangements.

Natural Remedies for the Winter Blues

I must have flowers, always and always,” said Claude Monet.

Our sentiments exactly! Especially in January, at the cusp of winter, when we’re all slowly coming out of a ‘Christmas Greens Coma’. One trip into the fields and there’s no doubt in our minds, as the weather gets colder, the colors become brighter and more intense.

The Leucadendron Inca Gold seemingly ‘wakes up’ making for superb winter flowers in a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips.

And the Protea Brenda is so shiny and vibrant creating the perfect contrast with her lovely petals or bracts in hues of deep pink.

With a few stems of Grevillea Misty Pink and some textural Ivanhoe foliage, you can design a bouquet that takes the chill out of the season while providing an instant winter pick-me-up. There’s no doubt, the best remedy for beating the ‘Winter Blues’ is to surround yourself with vivid color and pretend it’s almost spring.

Spring Thoughts

Spring may officially begin on the 20th of March, but for anyone who loves Leucadendron as much as we do, spring starts in early January when the first Leucadendron take on vivid shades of cream, white, yellow, gold and maroon. Inca gold turns a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips. Gold Strike transforms into beautiful yellow ‘tulips’ and Maui Sunset is simply stunning in hues of white and pink. The Safari Sunset, which is red or burgundy most of the year, lives up to its name as it changes to ‘Tricolor’ with lovely multicolored bracts in hues of maroon, green and gold.

As the weather gets cold the leaves or bracts of the Leucadendron change colors becoming brighter and more intense. This fabulous foliage seems to ‘wake up’ and turn into vibrant flowers in their own right. Our bouquets and wreaths take their inspiration from the wonderful colors and textures of this long-lasting accent foliage.

Beating the Winter Blues

“I must have flowers, always and always,” said Claude Monet.

We can’t agree with him more! Especially in January, at the cusp of winter, when we’re all slowly coming out of a ‘Christmas Greens Coma’ and suffering from the 'Winter Blues'. But that’s not to say the Monets among us are out of luck. As the season settles in, we find ourselves shifting back to more traditional florals, and it dawns on us that winter is a choice.

One trip into the fields and there’s no doubt in our minds. As the weather gets colder, the colors become brighter and more intense. Leucadendron seemingly ‘wake up’ and make superb winter flowers in a variety of colors and textures. The Inca gold turns a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips. And the Safari Sunset, which is typically a red or burgundy hue, lives up to its name in winter as it changes to ‘Tricolor’ with lovely multicolored bracts in hues of maroon, green and gold.

With a few stems of beautiful protea, sprigs of sweet scented waxflower and plenty of colorful leucadendron, you can design a winter bouquet that takes the chill out of the season while providing inspiration for the next. Actually, we’ve found the trick to beating the ‘Winter Blues’ is to surround yourself with vivid color and pretend it’s almost spring.

Protea Susara

Protea Pink Mink

Protea Liebencherry

Protea Silvertips

Protea Coronata

Hybrid Waxflower

Leucadendron Inca Gold

Leucadendron Safari Tricolor

Winter Color: Leucadendron

At the dawn of winter, we’re surrounded by Christmas greens. As the season settles in, we find ourselves shifting back to more traditional foliage. By the time January’s cold, cozy days roll around? Leucadendron, please! There is such an eruption of color on the farm during this time of year. As the weather gets colder, the colors become brighter and more intense. Leucadendron seemingly ‘wake up’ and make superb winter flowers in a variety of colors and textures.

Safari Sunset, which is red or burgundy most of the year, lives up to its name in winter as it changes to ‘Tricolor’ with lovely multicolored bracts in hues of maroon, green and gold.

Safari Tricolor

And, many of our favorite green Leucadendron suddenly take on vivid shades of cream, white and yellow. Inca gold turns a bright yellow color with a touch of red on the tips. Leucadendron Gold Strike transform into beautiful yellow ‘tulips’ and Maui Sunset is simply stunning in hues of white and pink.

Inca Gold

Gold Strike

Maui Sunset

Bursting with color and texture, this long-lasting foliage will keep you happy for weeks!