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long single stems, others are multibranched. To achieve a straight, single stem, growers may fresh focus also need to prune away the side branches, just as they do with disbudded carnations and By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright mums. The two types of leucadendron, single- stemmed and branching, are useful in different types of designs. Florists who buy spray Long-lived leucadendrons leucadendron can cut the lateral stems themselves and use them as basing or in low are more colorful and diverse than you think. basket designs.

and female flowers appear on separate Thanks to their price, longevity, and versatility, Leucadendron Hardy from all over Leucadendron spp. plants. These male and female flowers may leucadendrons are becoming more popular all have a markedly different appearance. The Leucadendron sold by U.S. wholesalers may the time. Because many leucadendrons have a Availability: year round, but varies “petals” of leucadendrons are actually bracts have been grown in South Africa, New look somewhere between flowers and foliage, with variety (modified leaves). The true, botanical flowers Zealand, Australia, Ecuador, Chile, or in Vase life: 14 to 21 days are nestled among the bracts and covered Hawaii or California. “At the moment, we buy Bunch size: 5 or 10 stems and with female styles or male stamens. In a lot from Ecuador,” says Mike Balsink of Cut grower bunches general, the male flowers tend to be smaller Flower Wholesale, an Atlanta-based supplier and more colorful. The stamens may change with a searchable online database at When it comes to leucadendrons, everyone color from green to yellow to orange-red as www.cutflower.com/search. Mike is always knows ‘Safari Sunset’. With its rich burgundy the flowers bloom, and will continue to do so on the lookout for novelty, along with good bracts, it’s by far the most popular and widely after the flower is cut, provided it was deals on the old standbys like ‘Safari Sunset’. cultivated variety. But have you seen ‘Jester’, sufficiently mature at harvest. Female plants He finds that growers in Ecuador and Chile with creamy green and maroon stripes? How produce durable cone-shaped flowers. are able to provide both—although, for the about ‘Inca Gold’ or ‘Crème Delight’? These are very latest leucadendron novelties, he looks A field of cultivated leucadendron is likely to only a few of the better-established alternatives to South Africa. Australian hybridizers are be all male or all female, since the plants are to ‘Safari Sunset’. New varieties and colors are also active in producing new varieties. propagated from cuttings, rather than from being introduced each year to the cut flower seed. Some varieties are cultivated mainly as Within the U.S., the blooming season arrives market. female plants, others as males. ‘Safari a bit earlier in Hawaii than in California, Breeders have a rich pool of genetic diversity to Sunset’, for example, is typically female. In giving Hawaii a seasonal edge. California’s draw from. Native to South Africa, the genus the case of this particular variety, however, somewhat colder climate, however, can yield Leucadendron (in the protea family) includes you wouldn’t know that it’s female, since the more intense color, a more upright habit, and nearly 80 species, with many more subspecies stem is usually cut before the cone develops. longer stems. and cultivars. Further, a single variety can At this stage the color of the maroon bracts is Leucadendron stems are typically between change in appearance over the seasons. brighter—plus, shipping costs are lower, two and three feet long. Mike notes, however, since the cone itself adds weight to the flower. “In the fall, ‘Gold Strike’ makes a beautiful green that while some varieties typically produce leucadendron,” says Diana Roy of Resendiz Most of the commercial varieties of Brothers Protea Growers LLC in Fallbrook, leucadendron are cultivated as female California. “But most people wait to cut it until plants—some harvested with cones, some the spring, when it looks like a yellow tulip. without. Growers with large plantations, in Then, if you wait a little longer, it goes back to particular, prefer the female plants, because green and in May it gets beautiful brown cones. the flowers have a longer window for harvest, In the past there was never enough volume to according to Pam Shingaki, an agricultural let it go through the different stages, but today research technician within the University of If ‘Safari Sunset’ is the only leucadendron variety there’s enough ‘Gold Strike’ planted that we can Hawaii system. The male flowers are more you know, take a look at these beauties: at the top enjoy all the seasonal variations.” colorful, but must be picked at just the right of the opposite page, ‘Maui Sunset’ (photo stage—a task that’s more easily courtesy of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers LLC); at left, ‘Inca Gold’; above, top photo, ‘Jester’; Vive la différence accomplished by smaller growers, like those and above, lower photo, ‘Creme Delight’ (these in Hawaii. photos © Cut Flower Wholesale, Inc. and Another reason for leucadendrons’ diversity is Onlineflowersearch.com™). Note that the appearance of leucadendron cultivars can vary by that the plants are dioecious, meaning that male season and whether the plant is male or female.

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they tend to harmonize these elements in a several cones can be found on each long design. “In the past, large volumes of branch, among the twisted, silvery-green leucadendron foliage were shipped from South leaves. Best late spring to early summer. Africa to Europe, where it was sold in the ‘Tintum’ : Golden yellow bracts age to a tone flower markets as ‘Cape Greens’ and treated car e of red, changing color continually from as a long-lasting filler foliage,” writes Diana midwinter through early spring. Male plants Roy in the Resendiz Brothers newsletter. “This bear yellow flowers, while females produce image has changed with the realization that large seed cones of deep bronze-red. tips many leucadendron blooms are beautiful flowers in their own right, and as a result, their ‘Rossette’ : Green bracts surround large brown for leucadendron value and the demand for them has increased cones on multi-headed stems. dramatically.” These and other distinctive varieties of • Select bunches with brightly colored Long vase life is leucadendron’s forte. The leucadendron are just the kind of conversation bracts. Avoid stems with black or brown flowers are shipped dry, at near-freezing starters that catch customers’ attention, says spots, an indication of improper post- temperatures, in sea containers that take Mike Balsink. “People are always looking for harvest handling. 10 to 12 days to reach Europe from Chile, something new. Leucadendron also offers a reports Mike Balsink. “You can store great value because it’s long-lasting and fairly • To help prevent black leaf spots, re-cut leucadendron dry for weeks and still process inexpensive. It’s basically everything you want stem ends and place in a floral food it, or if you put it in water right away, it can sit out of a cut flower. I would suggest, challenge solution. The sugar in the floral food in the cooler three to four weeks, sometimes your local wholesaler to find these new and keeps the plant from depleting its more. You can even re-use it if you recover the exciting varieties, or go online to search them carbohydrate reserves in the leaves, stems after a wedding or party.” Leucadendron out. This is how we’re going to redirect the a condition which can cause black is also useful to wedding designers as a floral consumers to the professional neighborhood spots. material that holds up well out of water for Bright stamens are typical of male leucadendron florist!” b • Condition at room temperature and corsages and boutonnieres. flowers; female flowers bear hard cones. Photos courtesy of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers LLC. then store leucadendron at 40 degrees F By the same token, it’s still important to buy the Resources and 90% humidity in a floral refrigerator. freshest product and not take leucadendron’s ‘Inca Gold’ : Vibrant yellow bracts combined Note that while leucadendron, like other Cut Flower Wholesale, Atlanta, Georgia hardiness for granted, Mike warns: “As a re - with a red edge and red stems provide an members of the protea family, are long- 404-320-1619; www.cutflower.com or tailer that’s such an important part of your exceptionally colorful display in late winter to lived, they are native to a temperate rather www.onlineflowersearch.com business, knowing the quality and freshness early spring. than tropical climate. Keeping them in a of what you put into your arrangements.” Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers, LLC, floral refrigerator extends their vase life ‘Harvest’ : Creamy yellow bracts with a strong Fallbrook, California and helps to preserve their color. Make red flush to the edges surround a pompon-like 760-731-3305, www.resendizbrothers.com sure the refrigerator is well lit, as black flower of rich yellow. Each stem bears What’s new? spots can also result from inadequate abundant flowers during the early spring Two-tone ‘Jester’, mentioned at the top of this light. months. article, has become a hot seller, especially • Many varieties of leucadendron can be at Christmastime. Diana Roy, of Resendiz ‘Pom Pom’ : A cross with the giant, colorful dried by hanging them upside down in a Brothers, lists two dozen other interesting male leucadendron ‘Discolor’. Spectacular cool, dry environment. Their colors will varieties of leucadendron in an edition of her cream bracts surround the bright orange-red change, but their unusual form will be newsletter issued last spring. Here are just a flowers which are produced during the spring. maintained. Keep them out of direct few of those she mentions: ‘Red Tom’ : A multi–head variety with small, sunlight and spray with a sealant after ‘Red Blush’ : A bushy, spray-type thin red bracts and a silver–green, cone- they are completely dried in 2-4 weeks. leucadendron. It bears small, dark red bracts shaped center. with a yellow center, great for fall bouquets. ‘Orientale’ : Available in both male and female ‘Maui Sunset’ (also known as ‘Highlights’): versions, both with a pleasant scent, flowering Hybridized in Hawaii during the early 1980s. midwinter to spring. The male plants have Medium-sized bracts, a soft greenish-white in longer and broader leaves. the early spring, turn soft pink as summer ‘Pisa’ : Named for its willowy flowering approaches. branches that tend to lean in the wind. Lime-green bracts surround silver cones;

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