Español  English  

Consulta Plantas

Gardening and plant care since 2001

Find plants

Care of the plant Protea caffra or Common protea.

Care of the shrub Protea caffra or Common protea

The genus Protea, family Proteaceae, includes about 80 species of shrubs and trees native to eastern and southern Africa. Some species are: Protea caffra, Protea obtusifolia, Protea cynaroides, Protea eximia, Protea aristata, Protea laurifolia, Protea barbigera, Protea cryophila.

Common name: Common protea. This species is native to South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbawe.

They are shrubs or evergreen trees with an extended and rounded crown that reach 8 meters in height. The leathery leaves are linear-elliptical in shape and are greyish-green or light green. The showy flower heads measure up to 30 cm in diameter and are red or pink in color. They bloom in spring and early summer.

This easy-to-grow plant is used in low-maintenance gardens, in Mediterranean coastal gardens, in bushy groups and as isolated specimens. It's also used as cut flowers for floral decorations.

Protea caffra needs direct sun exposure and hot climates. It resists frosts down to -5 ºC.

Common protea grows in any well-drained soil, even poor, rocky, sandy, or alkaline soils.

Water moderately, waiting until the substrate has completely dried. It resists drought well.

Protea caffra does not need fertilizer.

Prune wilted inflorescences after flowering to maintain a more compact appearance.

Common protea is a plant resistant to the usual pests and diseases.

Protea caffra is propagated from seeds (they germinate in 3 weeks) sown in autumn or late summer in a seedbed. New plants take up to 6 years to flower.

Images of the shrub Protea caffra or Common protea

Protea caffra
Protea caffra