Leucospermum - Everything you Need to Know
- Su Whale
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A firecracker of a flower!
Pronounced ‘Loo-co-SPUR-mum’ the pincushion protea grows in a range of rich colours from tawny orange to red, a perfect palette for autumnal designs. Also know as Pincushion Protea, Nodding Pincushion, Sunburst Protea, Leucospermum is a member of the ancient Protea family. It is indigenous to South Africa where it provides essential food for birds and insects; it has a tactile, spiky flower head and pale green leathery leaves which grown in a spiral around its thick stem.
Floristry Tips from Su Whale
How to care for Leucospermum:
Vase life: 10-15 days.
Available: All year round.
Ideal Temperature Range: 2-5°C.
Remove all foliage below the water line.
Leucospermum are prone to rot if in a damp atmosphere, so good air circulation is important. Take care when handling as their heads are easy to knock off.
Leucospermum’s semi-woody stems need frequent re-cutting to encourage a steady flow of water to the flower head. Use clean, sharp scissors or secateurs.
Using Leucospermum in designs
Leucospermum are such an interesting flower, they will give an instant textural feel to a seasonal bouquet and are especially suited for late summer/early autumn colour schemes. As they can be top heavy, recess them into hand-tied designs for support or, if using in an arrangement with either chicken wire or floral foam, make sure they are well anchored in. Check that the heads aren’t touching a wet surface as that will encourage rot.
Most effective when grouped together, show off their interesting form by contrasting them against glossy green tropical foliage and grasses.
Images Envato Elements
Su Whale is a florist and freelance writer with over thirty years' experience in the floristry industry. She is the author and publisher of three best-selling books: Cut Flowers, 4th edition (2020) Cut Foliage, 2nd Edition, (2021) and Houseplants (2019), all bookshelf essentials for the professional florist.
