Protea repens ‘Red’

sugar bush
Upright shrub with small (for a protea) tightly arranged, pointy deep red-pink and cream flowers. Very adaptable and hardy. Good in pots.
Protea repens 'Red'Protea repens 'Red'
height 10–15ft
width 6–10ft
tolerates Drought, Wind
water
needs		 Low – Moderate
water
info		 Proteas are well adapted to our Mediterranean climate, making them carefree plants with bountiful rewards. After a few years, when your protea is established, it will want deep watering every couple weeks, though it will tolerate more if the drainage is excellent.

While typical protea respond very poorly to clay soils, this one is fairly durable in heavy soils. If grown in heavier soils the watering should be less frequent and the soil should be well amended with cactus mix during planting.

Yellowing leaves often indicate overwatering, though if the plant has been kept on the dry side they can indicate a PH imbalance, which can be fixed by adding cottonseed meal or chelated iron.
hardy
to		 25F
exposure Part Shade – 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 South Africa
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 15–24, H2

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.

Special Interest

Their coveted flowers on stiff stems are long-lasting after they’re cut, perfect for arrangements.