Plant Care Guides / Outdoor & Coastal / Fynbos and Proteas
Indigenous | Advanced Care | Fynbos and Proteas
Pincushions are among the most spectacular flowering shrubs in the fynbos, producing large, globe-shaped flower heads packed with long, colourful styles that stick out like pins in a pincushion.
Colours range from bright orange and red through to yellow, pink and bicolours, depending on variety. The nursery carries a wide range including Sweet Lucy, Ayoba Orange, Red Phantom, Scarlet Ribbon, Carnival Red, Mardi Gras Tricolour and others. They flower mainly in spring and early summer, and the blooms are long-lasting both on the plant and as cut flowers. They are closely related to proteas and need the same soil and care approach: poor, acidic, well-drained soil, no phosphorus, full sun and good airflow. Sunbirds, sugarbirds and bees are drawn to the nectar-rich flowers.
1 to 2 m depending on variety. Most form rounded, dense shrubs.
Moderate.
Feature shrub, fynbos garden, cut flower, large container in acidic mix, mass planting on a slope or bank.
Full sun with excellent air circulation. Do not crowd them.
Exactly the same as proteas: very well-drained, sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil. No compost, no bone meal, no phosphorus. In alkaline coastal soil, grow in containers with an acidic fynbos mix, or in raised beds with imported acidic sand.
Water regularly while establishing. Once settled, they are drought-tolerant. Good drainage is more important than water.
No standard fertilisers. Use only low-phosphorus fynbos or protea fertiliser, or nothing at all. Fish or seaweed emulsion at a weak dilution is safe.
Prune when picking flowers, taking a length of stem to encourage branching. After flowering, remove spent heads. Light tip pruning keeps the plant bushy. Do not cut back into old, bare wood.
Ask about availability. WhatsApp us to check what is currently in stock, or visit the nursery and we will help you choose the right plant for your spot.
