Cape Proteas Found across the World's Journal

Registered Hybrid Cultivars of parents.

(Number of regisered cultivars (2016) and some more well known examples)

57 Ls (unknown) X Ls (unknown)
18 Ld laureolum X Ld salignum [Bells Sunrise, Maui Sunset, Red Gem, Safari Sunset, Silvan Red]
14 Pr (unknown) X Pr (unknown)
11 Pr compacta X Pr magnifica [Franciscan Hybrid]
7 Ls lineare X Ls (unknown) [Flame]
6 Ld (unknown) X Ld (unknown)

5 Ld discolor X Ld salignum
5 Ld eucalyptifolium X Ld salignum
5 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls patersonii
5 Ls cordifolium X Ls lineare
5 Ls reflexum X Ls (unknown)

4 Ls cflm X cono X Ls (unknown)
4 Ls cordifolium X Ls glabrum
4 Ls cordifolium X Ls tottum
4 Ls form X tott X Ls (unknown)
4 Ls glab X line X Ls (unknown)
4 Ls line X tott X Ls (unknown)
4 Pr effusa X Pr pityphylla
4 Pr eximia X Pr susannae
4 Pr magnifica X Pr neriifolia [Pacific Queen]
4 Se florida X Se rosea

3 Ls cordifolium X Ls patersoniii [High Gold, Sunrise]
3 Ls glab X tott X Ls (unknown)
3 Ls lineare X Ls tottum [Ballerina]
3 Pr burchellii X Pr magnifica
3 Pr compacta X Pr (unknown)
3 Pr longifolia X Pr (unknown)
3 Pr longifolia X Pr neriifolia [Barbers Hybrid]
3 Pr magnifica X Pr obtusifolia
3 Pr neriifolia X Pr (unknown)

2 Ld discolor X Ld laureolum
2 Ld stelligerum X Ld (unknown)

2 Ls cono X cune X Ls (unknown)
2 Ls cono X cune X Ls reflexum
2 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls cordifolium [Cloud Bank]
2 Ls cordifolium X Ls (unknown)
2 Ls cuneiforme X Ls erubescens
2 Ls glabrum X Ls lineare [Tango]
2 Ls glabrum X Ls tottum [Scarlet Ribbon]
2 Ls grandiflorum X Ls (unknown)
2 Ls tottum X Ls vestitum [Firefly]

2 Pr compacta X Pr neriifolia
2 Pr cynaroides X Pr grandiceps
2 Pr laurifolia X Pr magnifica
2 Pr longifolia X Pr magnifica
2 Pr longifolia X Pr repens
2 Pr magnifica X Pr (unknown)
2 Pr magnifica X Pr stokoei

1 Ld cfrm X flor X Ld disc X sgnm
1 Ld conicum X Ld discolor
1 Ld coniferum X Ld eucalyptifolium
1 Ld daphnoides X Ld tinctum
1 Ld discolor X Ld gandogeri [Cloudbank Jenny]
1 Ld discolor X Ld uliginosum
1 Ld elimense X Ld laureolum
1 Ld euca X sgnm X Ld laur X sess [Lwando]
1 Ld eucalyptifolium X Ld laureolum
1 Ld floridum X Ld (unknown) [Pisa]
1 Ld gandogeri X Ld spissifolium
1 Ld lanigerum X Ld salignum [Super Star]
1 Ld laur X sgnm X Ld stelligerum
1 Ld laureolum X Ld laur X sgnm
1 Ld laxum X Ld (unknown)
1 Ld procerum X Ld salicifolium
1 Ld salignum X Ld (unknown) [Brooks Red]
1 Ld salignum X Ld xanthoconus
1 Ld strobilinum X Ld (unknown)

1 Ls cflm X cono X Ls line [Sunshine]
1 Ls cflm X pate X Ls (unknown)
1 Ls cflm X pate X Ls glab X line
1 Ls cflm X pate X Ls glab X tott
1 Ls cflm X pate X Ls grandiflorum
1 Ls cflm X pate X Ls saxosum
1 Ls cflm X tott X Ls cflm X pate
1 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls (unknown)
1 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls cflm X line
1 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls cuneiforme [Hawaii Gold]
1 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls glabrum
1 Ls conocarpodendron X Ls line X vest
1 Ls conocarpodendron subsp. vestitum X Ls hypophyllocarpodendron subsp. hypophyllocarpodendron
1 Ls cordifolium X Ls cuneiforme
1 Ls cordifolium X Ls spathulatum
1 Ls formosum X Ls tottum [Spider]
1 Ls glab X line X Ls lineare
1 Ls glab X tott X Ls [Tango]
1 Ls glabrum X Ls (unknown)
1 Ls line X cflm X Ls conocarpodendron
1 Ls line X tott X Ls line X glab
1 Ls line X vest X Ls glabrum
1 Ls praecox X Ls saxosum
1 Ls saxosum X Ls (unknown)

1 Pr amplexicaulis X Pr (unknown)
1 Pr aristata X Pr repens [Venus]
1 Pr aurea X Pr neriifolia
1 Pr aurea X Pr repens [Clarks Red]
1 Pr burchellii X Pr compacta
1 Pr burchellii X Pr longifolia
1 Pr burchellii X Pr neriifolia
1 Pr compacta X Pr cpct X susa
1 Pr compacta X Pr cynaroides
1 Pr compacta X Pr obtusifolia
1 Pr compacta X Pr susannae
1 Pr cpct X susa X Pr longifolia
1 Pr cpct X susa X Pr obtusifolia
1 Pr eximia X Pr grandiceps
1 Pr eximia X Pr magnifica
1 Pr glabra X Pr laurifolia
1 Pr grandiceps X Pr longifolia
1 Pr lact X mund X Pr repens
1 Pr lacticolor X Pr (unknown)
1 Pr lacticolor X Pr mundii [Lashlon Hybrid]
1 Pr laurifolia X Pr sulphurea
1 Pr longifolia X Pr pudens
1 Pr magnifica X Pr susannae
1 Pr mundii X Pr repens
1 Pr mundii X Pr subvestita
1 Pr neriifolia X Pr repens
1 Pr neriifolia X Pr susannae
1 Pr pudens X Pr repens

1 Se florida X Se phylicoides

Events in the pioneering, propagation and promotion of Proteas

1605: first illustration of Protea (neriifolia) iin Clusius - Exoticorum Libri Decem.
1620: first record of Silvertree when Augustin de Beaulieu described the plants near Kirstenbosch
1660: Jan Van RIebeeck plants his Wild Almond hedge.
1687: P Hermann: Horti Academici - listed 34 Cape Plants

1753: Linnaeus describes species and names the family after the Silvertree Protea argentea
1771: Linnaeus swaps genera making the King Protea the icon of the Family
1772-1774 & 1786-1795: Francis Masson (1741-1805) visited the Cape purpose: to collect seeds and living specimens for cultivation at Kew
1780: in cultivation in Europe at Kew Royal Gardens
1781: Carl Peter Thunberg writes Dissertatio Botanica de Protea
1789: Willaim Aiton (1731-1793 - Gardener to his Majesty at Kew) published Hortus Kewensis - Proteas grown at Kew from Masson's seeds: Protea repens first
1795: George Hibbert collects proteas Clapham Common - 1805: 35 spp of Protea (& Ld, Ls, Se)
1798-1803: James Niven (1774-1827) visited the Cape to collect seeds with voucher specimens for Joseph Knight, gardener to George Hibbert

1800: Lee & Kennedy's nursary - the Vineyard (Hammersmith, London)
1800: Johan Wendland (Inspector Royal Honoverian Gardens) publishes Hortus Herrenhusanus of plants in the Royal Gardens at Hannover
1803-1812: James Niven (1774-1827) visited the Cape to collect seeds for Lee & Kennedy & Empress Josephine.
1806: Protea repens South Africa (Cape Colony) national flower
1809: J. Knight: On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the Natural Order of Proteeae - first cultivation manual.
1816: Latrobe in 1816, travelling near Uitenhage, continued his diary with ink made from the leaves of the Wageboom when his supply ran out
1841: Klotzsch & Otto publish Icones plantarum rariorum horti regii botanici Berlinensis dealing with plants at Berlin Royal Botanic Garden
1885: Clifton Nursery, Walkerville (Adelaide) - Protea repens for sale
1898: Elim & Genandenal export dried cut proteas to Europe
1890: in cultivation in Australia

1913: Kirstenbosch Gardens established to promote local plants.
1914: Blushing Bride was rediscovered at the French Hoek flower show, by H Pearson, R Marloth &. G. Brand van Zyl, who collected a few seeds from which "all the thousands of plants grown at Kirstenbosch subsequently, distributed as seed to members of the Botanical Society and the horticultural trade, and now grown commercially in South Africa and introduced to other countries" are derived. (but see https://www.proteaatlas.org.za/blushing.htm)
1922: Duncan & Duncan nursery catalog (New Zealand): Protea repens & Silvertree, later emphasizing rarer species.
1928: Bloem Erf Nurseries, Stellenbosch
1935: Stevens Brothers, offering Pr repens and neriifolia - soon changed from producing plants for gardens to cut flowers
1947: Frank Batchelor first sold seeds to California
1949: Protea Heights, with F Batchelor selling: (7 Protea, 3 Leucospermum, 1 Serruria)
1950s: Pratt''s Nursery of Waitara, Tranaki - largest wholesale nursery in NZ
1950s: Jack Clarke Nursery, Aukland - produced some special cultivars
1952: Ruth MIddlemann publish price list of seeds (incl. Proteaceae).
1959: Marie Vogts. Proteas: know them and grow them

1960: Toowoomba, Queensland growing proteas.
1962: Protea nursery at Westonaria (Joburg) by P. Joubert
1962: article in Cape Times comparing California's success in Protea cultivation to South Africa.
1962: all blushing Brides dead: Marie Vogts starts studying them.
1964: Marie Vogts started research on cultivating Proteas
1964: first seeds to Hawaii (via S McFadden). Kula Research Station, Maui
1965: Duncan & Davies, New Zealand - 11 Proteas for sale.
1965: Protea cut flower exports to UK.
1965: South African Wildflower Growers Association (SAWGRA) formed
1968: Charlie Boucher studies the March Rose
1969: Proteas at Chelsea Flower Show

1970: Protea Growers Association of California
1970: Florialis, Funchal, Madeira, offered proteas for sale
1970 Frank Rousseau Proteaceae of South Africa.
1975: First Protea cultivar - by Frank Bachelor - Ivy (Protea lacticolor x mundii)
1976: King Protea proclamation ZA national flower.
1977: Fukukaen Nursery auctioning Proteas from ZA and Hawaii
1978: Protea Association of Australia
1978: International Protea Association started

1981: 19 000 seedlings died after a Phytophthora infection in a Cape Town City Council nursery - about 1 000 planted by Parks and Forestry per year on the Cape Peninsula during the 20th century
1980s: Sharon van Broembsen researches diseases of Proteas
1981: First International Protea Conference, Kallista, Victoria, Australia
1982: SAWGRA becomes SAPPEX (South African Protea Producers and Exporters)
1983: Zimbabwe Protea Association formed
1984: International Protea Working Group (IPWG).
1986: Cobus Coetzee appointed entomologist, working on proteas

1992-2002: Protea Atlas Project
1995: Fynbos Genebank Trust
1995: Rebelo Sasol Proteas of southern Africa - first field guide
1997: cultivation starts in Portugal
2004: Crous et al. Cultivation and diseases of Proteaceae.

The problem with this project is simply that these are cultivated species. There is no field guide. There are no handy ways of getting an identification. Horticulturalists develop new cultivars, promote and sell them, and when the licencing expires they are forgotten - unless they were a major horticultural success - such as Safari Sunset (Leucadendron) and High Gold (Leucospermum).

We desperately need keen growers to help us with identifications. Ideally they should be identified to cultivar, but iNaturalist deals with species, and in many cases hybrids: but not cultivars. Thus cultivar names need to be added to the Comment Box beneath the Identification as a species or hybrid.
If identifying species is tricky, then cultivars are even more so: they are more similar, very similar to the parents, and far more numerous than species.
Furthermore, iNaturalist dumps them as casual - and does not even differentiate between those that have no names, those with a vague identification, and those that have been verified.

Quite a challenge.

If you know your cutlivars and are keen to help identify and see what Cape Proteas are turning on and wowing people around the world, then please tell us. We would love your help.