#leucadendron

[crudlynaturephotos]

[okieducky]

Inspiration for a medium-sized, contemporary, full-sun, concrete-paved garden path in the backyard.

Daley Updates

[mymacrogarden]

leucadendron flower(?) in the front garden.

All the colour here comes from the leaves and I'm not sure that the seed/pollen pod is technically a flower, but they're pretty and kinda cool.

[mymacrogarden]

Out in the front garden again today. This is a Leucadendron. Contrasts rather nicely with the overcast sky that's been threatening rain most of the morning I think.

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Leucadendron 'Ebony'

Leucadendron is a South African genus in the Protea Family, with many of the species found in the fynbos vegetation type (this vegetation type is somewhat similar to the chapparal vegetation found in California, or the Mediterranean scrub vegetation of southern Europe). Unlike the large and showy flower heads found in many other plants in the Proteaceae, the Leucadendron flower heads are quite small - but they are cupped within colored bracts that can be very showy. In the lower photo, one can see the tiny flowers grouped at the center of the flaming red bracts. The hybrid 'Ebony' has gained great popularity for its striking dark purple leaves, with the bracts adding a fiery touch when the plant flowers during the winter.

-Brian

[flora-file]

Come Closer

[flashy-flashy]

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Leucadendron tinctum

The South African genus Leucadendron belongs to the Protea Family, with many of the species occurring in the vegetation type known as fynbos, which we might think of as the southern African equivalent of our chaparral here in California. Many plants in the Protea Family have very showy flower heads, but with Leucadendron the flower heads are cupped within showy bract leaves at the branch tips, and these bracts are showier than the flower head itself. Leucadendron tinctum occurs over a wide area in the southwestern winter-rainfall region of South Africa.

-Brian