Common sugarbush

Protea repens

Cape fynbos shrub of South Africa with grey-green narrow leaves and large cup-shaped flower heads in white, pink, or deep red, dripping sugary nectar — the original "sugarbush" of early Cape settlers.

Hardiness ratings

Common sugarbush hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 9–11 −6.7 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H2 1 °C to 5 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 9 −1 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 4–6 0 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Native to the Cape Floristic Region — Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and well-drained sandy or rocky soils
  • WARNING: Highly phosphorus sensitive — never feed with phosphate fertiliser, use low-P or native fertiliser only
  • National flower of South Africa in earlier eras before Protea cynaroides was formally designated
  • Distinct from the base king protea (P. cynaroides) already in the database — P. repens is the smaller-flowered nectar-dripping sugarbush

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Common sugarbush against your zones

Reference

Common sugarbush on Wikipedia