My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Leukospermum

Part of the Protea family. The flower heads look like ball shaped brightly coloured shiny wax like pincushions.

Dark red Pincushions add texture to my Veiled Sunshine competition design

Common name

Pincushion

Origin

Western parts of South Africa

Varieties

There are more than 50 species in this genus

Colors

green, yellow, orange, red, red tipped, milky yellow and apricot yellow

Vase life

The flowers should last a month or longer.

Scent

Almost honey scented

Uses

Very graphic flower. Really makes a statement. Great when you want a mass of colour with the added bonus of texture

Conditioning

Break the woody stems to hydrate. Most proteas dry well. They do not require a lot of water and will last well even in foam. Remove all foliage that will fall below the water line while hydrating. Place in room temperature water (with flower food)overnight. Replace the water often to prevent the leaves from turning black. Allow air to ventilate around the flowers.

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