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FAQ's
Can you grow Protea commercially from seed?
We are a commercial Protea farm in California and we do grow some varieties form seed. It is the exception rather than the rule. As a hobby it is fun and exciting to grow from seed, but commercially you run the risk of the plants not being 'true'. What I mean by this is that in nature you often have cross-pollination of varieties (insects visiting more than one variety) and you end up with a King Protea that look like giant pink cabbage!
Which Protea varieties are best suited for seed propagation?
We use seed to start new Leucadendron varieties (Cape Greens that doesn't have distinctive looking flowers - filler). Some pincusshions also do well and we've had success with Compacta Protea. The jury is still out on the King's - it takes along time before they flower (3-6 years).
Where do Protea grow best?
Protea grow best in Mediterranean climates: South Africa, Australia, Hawaii (Big Island and Maui), Israel, Spain and Chile.
Can you grow Protea in cold climates?
We supply Protea seed to many 'hobby' Protea growers even in Canada. The cold weather in most parts of Canada does present challenges. Most Proteas in very cold areas are grown in pots and moved indoors or covered in very harsh cold weather. King Proteas are unfortunately one of the more difficult varieties to grow. The most frost-resistant species of
Proteaceae are:
- Protea repens
- Protea eximia
- Protea grandiceps
- Protea burchellii
- Protea magnifica
Are there different kinds of Protea seed?
Yes, in the Proteaceae family there are two very distinct types of seed: hard-shelled seeds and winged or ‘serotinous’ seeds. Leucospermum, a.k.a. Pincushions, generally have a hard-shelled seed and this nut-like shell tends to restrict the supply of oxygen that is needed for successful germination. To improve the likelihood of germination, the outer shell of the seed has to be broken or softened. This shell with a small file. Care should be taken not to damage the embryo of the seed. The preferred method, and the one we use in our nursery at Cape Flower Fields, is to soak the seed in a 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 18 to 24 hours. Remove the softened outer layer of the seed. In nature this occurs with time during the rainy season and wet winters of the Western Cape in South Africa.
Protea cynaroides seed belong to the 'winged' family. They almost look like flies used for fishing. To trigger germination, just expose them to the 'smoke' primer and plant them in a well-draining planting medium. And then, be patient.
How is the 'seed dormancy' in Protea seeds broken?
Protea seed dormancy is broken when 1) the seeds absorb water; 2) the seed are subject to relatively low temperatures; and 3) the seeds have been exposed to fire or smoke. To trigger the response that these seed have to fire and smoke when the ‘fynbos’ (local vegetation) burns during late summer and early autumn. To achieve this, we soak the seed, both hard-shelled and winged, in a smoke solution of distilled water and Smoke Primer Disks. These paper disks are impregnated with the natural chemicals found in bushfire smoke, as well as other components found to help Proteaceae germinate. When you soak seeds in a solution of these components, you recreate conditions similar to the start of the rainy season after a fire. This starts the germination process.
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