Protea in th eUK

[Barnowl]

OH had a business trip to Madeira last week and, as well as the obvious, she brought back a packet of Protea seeds.

I'm not much of a flower grower, so far only marigolds (for companions) and some salvia. Have I any chance of growing them? I keep a frost free greenhouse from about mid February onwards and have a heated propagator.

The picture on the packet looks a bit like this.

[Barnowl]

[saddad]

Dunno, my sister brought a collection of about six seed packets back from Australia last year but I don't think I will sow them out!
:-\

[wahaj]

hope this helps :)

[Barnowl]

What helps Wahaj?

By the way, have a great Birthday!

[wahaj]

oh whoops lol

http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ksheets/proteas.html

and thanks :)

[Ceratonia]

They have beautiful flowers, but have a reputation for being difficult to grow in the UK. I've managed to get a few seeds to germinate, but then they all died  ???

Depending upon which Protea species you've got, it's sometimes helpful to use a smoke primer to break the dormancy of the seed. In nature, they don't germinate until after a fire has killed the competition.

[Leonnie]

EmmaJane has grown protea but I think she also found it difficult, they're not easy to grow here.

[froglets]

Have seen them growing outdoors in Cornwall in the lea of a beach.

[Leonnie]

Some protea are hardier than others, that photo looks like a cynaroides, this info might be helpful

http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Protea+cynaroides&CAN=COMIND

[Barnowl]

Leonnie,  I checked last night and they are cynaroides. Many thanks to you and Wahaj for the advice and links.

Looking at the soil requirements I think they'll have to be grown in pots and I'd better save all the citrus skins I can  to acidify the compost. Go on, have another satsuma - I insist....

[Leonnie]

 :) you're welcome.

you can make the soil more acid by adding sulphur chips to the soil and collect up some pine needles, just incase you get tired of satsumas that is! ;D