Protea acuminata

Protea acuminata, also known as the black-rim sugarbush or sederbergsuikerbos, is a flowering shrub in the genus Protea. Endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, it is known for its small, rounded flower heads with distinctive dark, wine-red bracts.

• Size and shape: An upright, rounded shrub that can grow up to 2 meters tall with a single main stem.
• Leaves: The smooth, hairless, and flat leaves are linear-spathulate (narrowly spoon-shaped) with pointed tips. They are glaucous (bluish-grey or greenish-grey in color).
• Flowers: The globose (spherical) flower heads, which bloom from June to September, have wine-red involucral bracts (modified leaves surrounding the flower head). The most notable characteristic is the dark, reddish-black margin on the edge of the bracts.
• Habitat and ecology
  • Range: The species has a fragmented distribution across three distinct areas in the Western Cape province, including the Bokkeveld Escarpment, the Cederberg Mountains, and the Riviersonderend Mountains.
  • Preferred conditions: P. acuminata is adapted to dry sandstone slopes in montane fynbos, thriving in diverse rainfall conditions. It grows in well-drained, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils.
  • Wildfire adaptation: Adult plants are typically killed by fire, but their seeds are stored in the fire-resistant flower heads. The seeds are released after a fire and dispersed by the wind to establish new plants.
  • Pollination: Pollination is carried out by birds and rodents. The plant is monoecious, with both male and female parts in each flower.

price is for 5 seeds