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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Proteaceae (Proteas) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Clear Pink |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Parentage: (P. compacta x P. susannae?) |
| Height: 6-8 feet |
| Width: 4-6 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Protea 'Pink Ice' - A stunning and tough dense evergreen shrub that grows with an upright habit to 8 feet tall by nearly as wide with attractive leathering long narrow leaves and silvery-pink flowers from fall into winter. This is one of the first of the protea to bloom and it often will have flowers for a solid 9 months or more. Plant in full to part sun and irrigate occasionally to infrequently. This is a hybrid between tough hardy plants that gives it both good frost tolerance, down to low 20's F, and an ability to tolerate a wide range of soil types. It is considered to be the hardiest of the cultivars of Proteas and is more tolerant than other protea of heavier soils, but still performs its best where soil drains reasonably well. Pink Ice is a nice specimen plant and is useful as a hedge, for screening and as a container plant, and its flowers are great for cut flower use. Though some consider this plant to be a Protea neriifolia hybrid with P. susannae, the International Protea Register has this cultivar registered as a hybrid between Protea compacta and P. susannae that was created by David Mathews of Proteaflora Nursery. It was first listed in the Proteaflora Nursery catalog in 1984 and promoted internationally in 1987. The registry also notes that this variey has been sold under the names 'Camelot' and 'Silvan Pink'. We have been growing this great cultivar since getting it from protea specialist Dennis Perry of Perry's Panorama in 1993. Dennis told attendees about the virtues of this great plant at our 1998 Field Day in his talk"Proteas for the California Garden".
This information about Protea 'Pink Ice' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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