Leucadendron Safari Sunset (Conebush)
A favorite of florists and gardeners, award-winning Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' (Conebush) is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with rich, deep-red bracts forming at the tips of exceptionally long stems (over 3ft. or 1m) in late summer. Ready for picking and cutting in the fall and winter, the showy bracts of the female flowers add further beauty to the plant as they open to reveal a cream center from late winter to spring. The exotic blooms rise above a foliage of narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, flushed with red. Perfect for use in low maintenance and water-wise gardens, this tall and vigorous Leucadendron is a great choice for screens or hedges or as a specimen plant – not to forget the vase where it will enjoy a very long life and help create spectacular floral arrangements.
- Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
- Grows upright to 8-10 ft. tall (240-300 cm) and 6-8 ft. wide (180-240 cm). If left unpruned, this plant tends to become straggly. Pruning will help keep a dense, bushy habit.
- Easily grown in sandy, acidic, well-drained soils in full sun. Will grow in poor soils. Occasional to infrequent watering. Heat and drought-tolerant once established. Use little to no Phosphorus fertilizer.
- Deer resistant
- Great for Mediterranean gardens and xeriscaping. Perfect for screens or hedges.
- Virtually disease free and pest free.
- Prune back after flowering to encourage a bushy, compact habit and prevent leggy growth.
- Root semi-ripe cuttings with bottom heat in summer
- Native to South Africa
Requirements
Hardiness | 9 – 11 |
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Climate Zones | 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1 |
Plant Type | Shrubs |
Plant Family | Leucadendron – Conebushes |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early)FallWinter |
Height | 8' – 10' (240cm – 3m) |
Spread | 6' – 8' (180cm – 240cm) |
Spacing | 96″ (240cm) |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Wall-Side Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden |