By Pat Voss, U. C. Master Gardener

Protea

For the first time, I felt total plant freedom. I could create a beautiful space without worry. Anxious for vivid color after the doldrums of winter, I visited a nursery in early spring and planted a multitude of annuals much too early. Predictably, my hopes of instant gratification were dashed when I lost most of the new plantings to frost. This was the first of many gardening lessons. On other occasions, I failed to consider my chosen plant's water needs, its sun or shade requirements, or the Carneros wind.

Eventually I graduated to more of a cottage garden plan, with climbing and rambling roses, hybrid tea roses, floribunda roses and various perennials, with just enough drought- tolerant plants such as lavender and cistus (rock roses) to moderate my water usage.

Two years ago, I opened a garden magazine and was struck by an image of a beautiful exotic flower, the protea. Initially I didn't suspect that this plant would meet the criteria I had set for my garden plan, but further study proved it was worth a try. I consider my garden experimental, but in the two years I have grown proteas, I have lost only one plant out of more than fifty. Perhaps tellingly, the protea that succumbed was planted in summer instead of fall.

Members of the Proteaceae family are commonly referred to as simply proteas. Carl Linnaeus, the famous Swedish botanist, classified the proteas. The family now includes leucodendron, leucospermum, mimetes and protea, the latter named after the legendary Greek sea god Proteus, who could change his shape at will.

The flowers of these plants are varied shapes, colors and sizes. Proteas are native to South Africa and Australia and were introduced to Hawaii, where they do very well. Most protea farms on the West Coast are located from Santa Cruz south.

The Protea family includes Australian plants such as banksias, grevillea, hakea and isopogon as well as small eucalypts, acacias and leptospermums South African plants in the Protea family include leucodendrons and leucospermums.

Plants in the Protea family have multiple uses. Some can secure banks and cover walls. Others make good ground covers or screening shrubs and attract nectar-seeking birds. Keep in mind that most of these plants are quite large, ranging from two to three feet in height and eight to ten feet in width.

Fall planting is recommended. Water initially only if needed and then only occasionally to establish roots. Once established, plants need little or no water.

Proteas will thrive in stony, gravelly, sandy soil as long as there is good drainage. If you have heavy clay soil, plant on raised mounds or mix free-draining soil with the native soil. Proteas prefer acid soils with a pH between 3.5 and 6.5. They love wind and full sun and need little or no fertilizer. They enjoy our dry summers, and most are frost hardy to 20ºF.

Proteas are low-maintenance plants that make exotic, long-lasting cut flowers. If you plant a variety, you can have color year round. For additional information, consult The Protea Book: A Guide to Cultivated Proteaceae by Lewis J. Matthews (Timber Press). Another resource is the Australian Native Plants Nursery web site (http://www.australianplants.com). Both the University of California at Santa Cruz and San Francisco Botanical Garden have excellent South African gardens displaying various proteas.