Protea mundii

Protea mundii

Family: Proteaceae

Common names: Forest sugarbush, white protea, witsuikerbos, boswitsuikerbos

It is a single-stemmed, upright shrub that reaches an average height of 3–8 m, but can occasionally reach 12 m, making it the tallest tree-like protea. Humbly-sized flower cups are 60–80 mm long and made up of floral (involucral) bracts that range from pink to cream-green and are lightly covered with pale hairs.

Sowing instructions: Seeds need smoke treatment to increase the germination rate. Seeds are sensitive to excess water and can rot; it is therefore essential that they be sown in a well-aerated, well-drained, sandy medium. Use a mixture of coarse river sand and finely milled bark as a sowing medium and cover seeds lightly with the medium. Use smoke primer to treat the seeds. Water trays to rinse the smoke deposit into the medium and place under cover in a shade-house where they will be exposed to the fluctuating temperatures of warmer days and cooler nights. An optimum fluctuation is between 10°C and 20°C.

Locality: Ex Hort. Harvest: February 2025