- Botanical name: Leucospermum cordifolium
- Family: Proteaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Evergreen
Pink
Red
Green
- Key features:
- Flowers
Leucospermum cordifolium is an upright, evergreen shrub in the Protaceae family, native to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Like proteas, it has a globe-shaped pincushion-type flowers in red and yellow. While commonly grown in South African gardens, it’s less well known in the UK. Indeed, Leucospermum cordifolium is farmed for the cut flower industry, so you’re more likely to have seen the blooms in bouquets, than growing in gardens.
However, that’s not to say that Leucospermum cordifolium can’t be grown in the UK. You’ll just need to offer protection in winter or grow it in a container, which you can move indoors in autumn.
Grow Leucospermum cordifolium in well-drained, nutrient-poor, acidic soil in full sun. Water sparingly and don’t feed. In autumn, move container-grown plants indoors for winter, or wrap the plant to protect it from frost.
How to grow Leucospermum cordifolium
-
Plant size
1.5m height
100cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Tender
- Soil type: Acidic / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plant | ||||||||||||
Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
Flowers | ||||||||||||
Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
Leucospermum cordifolium and wildlife
Leucospermum cordifolium has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Leucospermum cordifolium poisonous?
Leucospermum cordifolium has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People