Protea coronata

green sugarbush
Fast growing, upright shrub tolerates clay soil / summer water better than other protea. Silvery foliage holds quirky apple green flowers that never open. Prune up for a more treelike form.
height 6–15ft
width 5–9ft
tolerates Drought
water
needs		 Low – Moderate
water
info		 This protea adapts better to summer irrigation than others as its range extends into a winter rainfall area of South Africa. This is also noted by growers. It should be watered when it is mostly dried out (never let it dry out completly), and once established this will likely be every week or two. Be particularly attentive to watering during fall through spring, if rains fail.
hardy
to		 25F
exposure Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Heavy Soil, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing Bloodmeal, Fish Emulsion, Low Needs, No Phosphorus
origin SW South Africa
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 14–17, 19–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

Proteas can be kept smaller by pruning, but don’t prune more than two years of growth where there are no leaves and the branches are woody. Proteas can even be espaliered or pruned into a loose informal screen.
By tip-pinching buds early on (each time they have grown a few leaves), you can force your protea to become more dense. Since they bloom on the terminal buds, this will delay flowering.

More Info

One of the easiest protea to grow from seed. As a testiment to this, the green sugarbush quickly spreads onto fallow land and road cuts where it occurs in habitat.