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Leucadendron 'Ebony' PP23,258 (Ebony Conebush) - This bushy compact shrub typically grows slowly to 6 to 8 feet tall by 6 wide, but on occasion plants are known to grown stretched a bit taller in some conditions. It has lustrous blackish-purple foliage and burgundy red bracts surrounding the yellow female flowers from early to midwinter on to summer.
Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to infrequently once established. This new cultivar is a sport of the popular and durable Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset', a hybrid between Leucadendron laureolum and Leucadendron salignum, and it should be able to handle similar conditions as this durable cultivar does, including tolerating some frost and temperatures down to the mid 20s at least, and be able to handle some alkalinity and clay soils. Though a bit slow growing, with its dark foliage it has proven to be a dramatic looking specimen plant in the garden or in a large container, and also be good for cutflower use.
Leucadendron 'Ebony' was discovered in 2007 by John Francis in a cultivated cut flower field of Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' in Waimauku, northwest of Auckland, New Zealand. It received its US Plant Patent 23,258 in December 2012. In its patent application it was noted that it differed from the parent plant by having purple-black colored leaves and bracts instead of green leaves and red bracts such as are found on 'Safari Sunset'.
This amazing new plant came to us in 2012 from Obra Verde Growers through the Ball Ornamentals Program. Image on this page taken at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek where one of the best specimens we have seen is happily growing.
The information about Leucadendron 'Ebony' PP23,258 that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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