[Arid_gardener] Protea

[FranKirsten]

Patty,
Here is what my "American Horticultural Society Plant Propogation" book
says about Protea.
"Take semi-ripe stem-tip cuttings and place in free-draining medium in
humid conditions, such as under plastic.  Pot cuttings rooted early in
the year, when hardened off, into 3 1/2in pots to avoid straggly
plants." 
Semi-ripe cuttings directions:


1. In mid to late summer, select a healthy shoot of the current seasons
growth.  Use clean, sharp pruners to sever the cutting just above a
node.  2. If not prepared immediately, put the shoot in a clear plastic
bag and label.  Store in a cool place out of direct sunlight for a
couple of hours or in a refrigerator for a few days.
3. Remove the side shoots from the main stem.  Trim each side shoot to
4-6 inches long, cutting just below a node.  Remove the lowest pair of
leaves and soft tip.  
4. Make a shallow wound in one side of the stem by carefully cutting
away a piece of bark 1/2-1/4 in long from the base of the stem.
5. Dip the base of the cutting, including the entire wound, into some
hormone rotting compound.  Make sure that the wound has an even, but
thin coating.
6. Insert the cutting in rooting medium in a nursery bed outdoors (or
under mist) Water well, cover to keep humid until rooted.


I also looked on the web for Protea propagation, and there is apparently
a time consuming method of gathering seeds too.
This from: http://www.protea.com.au/site/growingproteas/qa.html

Can I collect viable seed from Protea?
Yes, however this is difficult and not always successful. Flower heads
must be left on the plant for 9-12 months after flowering for seed to
develop. Cut and then dry the flower head after this time. Seeds may be
found in the base of the flower head. Plant out seeds as soon as
possible in a coarse propagation mix. Seeds from the Protea genus
germinate in 6-10 weeks.



Hope this helps
Best of luck
Kirsten Walker

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Patty La Chapelle
To: arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 7:26 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] cocktail trees


Do you have any information or know where I can get information on how
to 
propagate protea? I would appreciate any help. Patty