LEUCADENDRON. South Africa. Showy trees and shrubs of the protea family, with several interesting features. Some have relatively few, heavy stems and are stark and dramatic in effect; others are slender-stemmed and bushy. The leaves are simple, usually lance-shaped to oval and often quite hairy. Their flowers have most of the parts of conventional flowers reduced to small scales, but their dense, cone-like clusters are surrounded by circles of leafy bracts which can be highly colored, almost like those of the proteas themselves. Male and female flowers are normally borne on separate plants. The following are attractive, in some cases spectacular plants for the garden, their major limitation being tenderness to cold (though this varies). They also require a sunny spot and well drained soil (it can be quite poor; in fact they resent heavy fertilizing). Watering is a negotiable matter, most species being fairly to remarkably drought tolerant.
argenteum, silver tree, is one of the great spectacles of the vegetable world, though definitely not a plant for the casual gardener. It may grow to a height of 30’, though it is likely to achieve that only in far southern California. It is openly branched and has heavy, often rather awkward stems. Shaping it may require judicious tip-pruning and staking at an early age. Closely lining those stems are lance-shaped leaves up to 6" long, so covered with silky hairs as to verge on metallic silver in their impression. Even the floral bracts and cones are silvery. In order to endure more than a few years, silver tree requires an extremely well drained, sandy or gravelly soil. It is injured by frosts of 25oF., and possibly killed outright at 20o or slightly less.
galpinii. A bushy 6-10’ shrub with narrow, twisted grey-green leaves 1-3" long. The flowering cones are about 1½” broad and have an odd silvery grey color. The bracts are not showy.
linifolium. This is one of the prettiest of the smaller leucadendrons, closely branched and growing up to 6’ high. The stems are surrounded by dense brushes of narrow grey-green leaves, up to 1½” long. The flower cones are under 1" long, light yellow at first, then grey.
‘Safari Sunset’ x self (?). ‘Safari Sunset’ is a well-known hybrid made in New Zealand. This group was described as a self cross, which would be difficult (the original is a “female” plant). In any case, the plants are vigorous and upright, probably reaching 10’ or more. Their dark green 3" leaves, bronze-tinted in new growth, are reminiscent of those of a callistemon. The floral structures are quite colorful, the bracts dark red overall, yellow at the base. We have selected a few of the best for propagation. All have been easy and trouble-free to date. I would estimate their hardiness at 20oF. or less.