Blooming Gold Pincushion

Blooming Gold Pincushion (Leucospermum cordifolium 'Blooming Gold') is a rounded evergreen shrub that reaches about 1.5m high and 1.8m wide and carries gold flower heads from late winter through spring. Each bloom is a dome of curled styles that looks like pins stuck in a cushion, and nectar feeding birds work it all day. It suits sunny gardens with sharp drainage, and it is one of the better proteas for a large pot.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers that look like nothing else. The domed heads open gold and carry long curved styles, and a mature shrub can hold dozens at once in spring.
• Birds and bees visit daily. Pincushions produce plenty of nectar, so a flowering plant brings honeyeaters and other nectar feeding birds close to the house.
• Built for poor soil. Like most South African proteas it prefers lean, sandy, acidic ground and does not need rich beds or heavy feeding.
• Tidy, rounded habit. It forms a neat mound with grey green leaves, so it looks good even outside the flowering season.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Give it a sunny spot in a gravel or mulched bed where it can show its full 1.8m spread. Allow 1.5m between plants if you are grouping several.

Pots and containers. A 50cm pot of free draining acidic mix suits it well on a sunny terrace. Use a native or protea potting mix, not a standard rich one.

Coastal and exposed gardens. It copes with wind and sandy soil, which makes it a useful flowering shrub for open sites where softer plants struggle.

Growing Blooming Gold Pincushion in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and good airflow are essential. It does best in warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and tolerates only light frost. In humid subtropical and tropical areas pincushions are short lived and prone to root and leaf disease, so choose a raised, breezy position or a pot.

Soil. Sharp drainage and acidic soil are the two rules. Work in coarse sand or plant on a mound if your ground is clay. Do not add lime, and never mix manure or rich compost into the planting hole.

Water and feed. Water deeply once a week for the first summer, then only in long dry spells. Proteas are sensitive to phosphorus, so use a low phosphorus native fertiliser lightly in early spring and keep ordinary garden fertiliser away from the roots.

Pruning. Cut flowers or tip prune straight after flowering to keep a dense shape. Always cut back to a leafy node, because pincushions rarely reshoot from bare wood.

What to expect when it arrives

Two options are sold. Tube stock is one young plant per tube, sold singly, and is the economical way to plant several. Larger plants come as 200mm pots in packs of 6, which already have a branched framework and settle quicker.

Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Other proteaceae to pair it with: leucadendrons
• Browse drought tolerant plants for dry gardens
• How to make soil more acidic for proteas
• More plants that feed bees and butterflies

Common questions

Why do pincushions die so suddenly?

Almost always from wet roots or too much phosphorus. Plant in very free draining soil, avoid rich fertiliser and keep mulch off the stem.

Can I grow it in a humid coastal garden?

It can be difficult. Humidity brings fungal problems, so use a raised bed or pot, plenty of sun and open airflow, and expect a shorter life than in a drier climate.

When will it flower?

Mature plants flower from late winter into spring. Young plants may need a season or two in the ground before they carry heavy flowering.