General Description/History

The display is formed by the coloured bracts and leaves as Leucadendron flowers are small and not particularly showy. These flowers are used as a foliage and come in a number of colours: red, yellow, orange, green and combinations of all of these. L. argenteum is a larger form with a silvery appearance due to the soft hairs covering the leaves and bracts.

Many new varieties have been produced over the past 20 years and some have become well known by their variety names: Silvan Red (bred in Australia), and Safari Sunset (bred in NZ) are two examples. Leucadendron are excellent cut flowers as they are brightly coloured and last well – a minimum of 3 weeks for the red/green forms is not unusual.

They are grown in the field in large bushes, which can produce hundreds of stems per year each when mature. In Australia most are grown in the hills surrounding Melbourne or Sydney.

Types: Leucadendron, Silvan Red, Safari Sunset, Inca Gold, Christmas Cones, Multi-cones.

What to look for

• Straight stems, fresh leaves;
• Avoid bunches with yellow or dried leaf tips.

Flower Care

1. Keep cool at all times.
2. Strip leaves from the lower half of each stem.
3. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem with sharp secateurs and place in water immediately.
4. Never bash or split stems.
5. Preservative is essential.
6. Replace water every day.

Botanical Name: Leucadendron salignum, L. laureolum, L. discolorL. salicifolium, L. orientale, L. argenteum.

Common Names: Christmas Cones, Inca Gold, Leucadendron, Multi-cones., Safari Sunset, Silvan Red

Stem Length: 30 to 100 cm

Country of Origin: South Africa

Available Colours: Green, Orange, Red, Yellow

Season: Summer,Autumn,Winter,Spring

Availability: January,February,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October,November,Decemeber