King Protea

I have just germinated some seeds of the above brought back by a friend from South Africa. 4 out of the 5 seeds have been succesful - they are in my conservatory and will be ready for potting on in a few days - has anyone had success with these plants from seed as I would like to keep at least 1 as a specimen plant in the Conservatoy? Any advice would be much appreciated, cheers Malcolm

 

Pete's your man. I have a couple of identical Protea from seed last year. But it was a mixed packet so I have no idea exactly what they are. I understand they don't like Potassium - so don't feed them, or get special Protea feed.

Mine overwintered, and still are, in a light box, so they think they are in South Africa :D . I have no idea of how to get them through next winter, or even this comming summer.

 

Will remember the potassium bit - I use phostrogen quite a lot and I think it's in there
Looks like it's the blind leading the blind!! - how much have yours grown in a year? Just so I can reserve enough space!

 

Protea cynaroides malcolm, this is my one remaining plant, seed was sown in summer06.



I grew one a few years ago to flowering size, hope to get this one to flower next winter/spring.

They need very good drainage, lots of bright sunshine and a dry atmosphere.
Mines growing in a combination of 1/3 ericaceous compost, 1/3 lumpy hard bits of peat, some sand and I like seramis, dont know if you can still get it, I suppose perlite would do.

Very careful watering so the roots never stay wet, especially in winter.
And quite cool conditions in winter I think are best, even close to freezing.
My last one flowered at 6ft

 

Malcolm - I think you will find Potassium is in all plant feed, Phostrogen has a lot.

Pete, your P cynaroides looks really healthy.

These are mine. The largest one is five inches high - it was sown last July. The smaller one seemed to be on the point of death outside last autumn, until I put them both in my light box. They seem happy now, but making slow progress. It could be a long wait till they are six feet high. Any chance of identifying them.

 

They look good Peter.
I'd be careful about potting them into too larger pots than is needed, I err on the side of safety and tend to under pot, although mine will, if all goes well, be moving to an 8 in pot once the weather warms up.
That was the size my last one flowered in.
They come in all shapes and sizes as you probably know, so maybe yours will not need to get to 6ft before flowering.
I havn't a clue what yours could be, I'm no expert I'm afraid, I had a couple Protea aurea, that looked pretty good in the autumn, but lost both of them fairly quickly once the winter started, they had very hairy leaves.

I think probably cynaroides is one of the easier ones.

 

THANKS TO BOTH PETES FOR YOUR REPLIES - GETTING QUITE EXCITED AS THEY SEEM TO GROW QUICKLY - WILL REMEMBER NOT TO PUT THEM INTO TOO BIG A POT - NOT WORTH SENDING PHOTOS OF MINE AS THEY ONLY HAVE 2 LEAVES AT MOMENT! WILL I BE BETTER JUST KEEPING THEM IN THE CONSERVATORY ALL YEAR ROUND?

 

Thanks Pete. I think I will ask Monty Don - he's a fan of Protea :D

 

I tend to keep mine in the greenhouse all year, I think they are well capable of growing outside in summer, but I think you can control the watering better. Especially if we get another wet one like last year.
Lots of ventilation though.

Peter I always thought Monty Don was a fan of Monty Don. :D

BTW, Im expeimenting with a very weak feed of seeweed plus iron, very occasionally.

 

I am sure you are right about the greenhouse Pete - but I haven't got one. I shouldn't really be trying to grow this sort of thing, but I was given the seeds. Anyway its fun.

I am interested in you comment about near freezing in winter. Yorkshire is quite good for near freezing weather - and then there is the winter. :D

 

I've been to Yorkshire and its not that bad, although there does seem to be chill in the air, even in June I found, longer days though.

Hows about an open ended closhe, until they get too tall.

 

Good idea about the cloche Pete - or some individual protection.

 

Will keep in conservatory I think - then just keep one for myself and sahre the others with friends - have already passed a spanish giant on to someone.
I really do enjoy growing different things - got 3 Wisteria seedlings going now - about 3" high - anyone had any success with them this way - and how long to putting ouside?

 

Malcolm. I don't want to upset you but Wisteria seedlings can take up to 20 years to flower. Like humans, plants have two main phases in their life. The first phase is juvenile, when they are sexually immature, and they can even have different shaped leaves and thorns which are later dropped. In some trees this can last for up to 60 years. As they are sexually immature they can't produce flowers or seed. Later they become adult and start to flower.

When you take a cutting, you take an identical clone of the parent. So a six inch high cutting of a mature Wisteria will still be a mature Wisteria. So to get a Wisteria that flowers in two or three years nurserymen take cuttings and then usually graft them onto a different rootstock.

Ed - replaced Clematis with Wisteria - mental abberation!

[ 10. April 2008, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: PeterS ]

 

I'm a great one for growing from seed malcolm, Like to watch things grow through their stages, but I have to agree with Peter about the wisteria.

If you are prepared to wait and see, then no problem, but if you really want a good flowering know performing wisteria, its best to buy a grafted plant.
Its a totally hardy plant, but I wouldn't put your seedlings out until we are finished with the frost.
At least you know that your three are totally new varietys, you just need to wait until they flower to find out how good they are, it could be less than twenty years. :D