Leucadendron ‘Devils Blush’

Leucadendron 'Devils Blush' (Leucadendron 'Devils Blush') is the shrub for the hot, dry, sandy corner where nothing else looks deliberate. It reaches about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, and through winter and spring the tips colour into deep red bracts with cream centres that hold for months. It is a South African protea relative, so it wants sun, sharp drainage and very little from you.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the quiet months. Winter and spring, when most gardens have nothing going on.
• It thrives on poor soil. Sandy, gravelly, nutrient poor ground suits it. Rich, heavily fed beds kill it.
• Coastal and drought hardy. Salt laden wind and long dry spells are part of its natural range.
• Low maintenance, and good for birds. One trim a year is the whole job, honeyeaters visit the flowers within the bracts, and the stems cut for a vase.

Where it works best

Coastal gardens. Its strongest use. Plant on a raised sandy bed where salt spray and wind rule out softer shrubs.

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart. They knit into a continuous block of colour without crowding into poor airflow, which matters on a plant prone to root disease.

Feature planting and pots. A single specimen holds its own against gravel and rendered walls. In a pot, use a 400mm or wider container with a coarse free draining mix.

Growing Leucadendron 'Devils Blush' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day, with air movement around it. It suits warm temperate, Mediterranean, cool temperate and subtropical gardens. Light frost only, so hard frosting inland and tableland districts are a stretch, and humid tropical summers work against it.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the one non-negotiable. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal. On clay, mound the bed 300mm above grade and blend coarse sand through it. Keep phosphorus low: no standard garden fertiliser and no manure.

Water and feed. Water deeply once a week through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native formulation, at half the labelled rate.

Pruning. Cut the spent bracts back to a leafy node once they dull off, taking roughly a third of each stem. That keeps it compact and sets up next season's colour. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, which reshoots slowly.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, and 200mm in packs of six. Tubes are young single stemmed plants and the value option for a big bed, taking two seasons to reach full size. The 200mm plants are already branching and usually colour in their first winter.

Leucadendrons travel well: the foliage is stiff and low in moisture. Plant into prepared, well drained ground promptly and water in once. Resist the urge to keep watering, since more of these are lost to wet feet than to neglect. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best plants for coastal gardeners
• Browse the coastal and salt tolerant range
• Drought tolerant plants for a waterwise bed

Common questions

Why did my leucadendron suddenly die?

Almost always root rot from soil that held water, or phosphorus toxicity from ordinary fertiliser. Plant on a mound in gritty soil, water sparingly, and use only low phosphorus native feed.

How far apart should I plant them?

One metre apart. Closer restricts airflow, which raises the risk of fungal problems in a humid summer.

Will it handle frost?

Light frost only. Hard frosting inland or tableland sites will damage the tips and can take out young plants.