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Products > Leucadendron 'Jester'
 
Leucadendron 'Jester' - Sunshine Conebush
   
Image of Leucadendron 'Jester'
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Shrub
Family: Proteaceae (Proteas)
Origin: South Africa (Africa)
Evergreen: Yes
Variegated Foliage: Yes
Flower Color: Red
Bloomtime: Winter/Spring
Synonyms: [Leucadendron 'Safari Sunshine']
Parentage: (Leucadendron salignum x L. laureolum)
Height: 4-5 feet
Width: 4-5 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Summer Dry: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F
Leucadendron 'Jester' (Sunshine Conebush) - An evergreen shrub to 4 to 5 feet tall and wide with showy, rich red bracts that sit atop branches of variegated foliage in late winter into spring. One look at 'Jester' and one can understand why it is so named as it is definitely a clown in the garden, sporting colors of bright pink, cream and green.

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. Its other name, 'Safari Sunshine' is also nice as a reference to all of these colors and is a nod to it being a sport of 'Safari Sunset', though it is less vigorous and has a smaller mature stature. Cut branches are prized for use in arrangements and foliage material.

Leucadendron 'Jester' was originally introduced into the trade by Duncan & Davies (New Zealand) in 1986 with the name 'Jester' and was granted protection under Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) in New Zealand and South Africa under this name. In Brian Matthews' The Protea Book Matthews notes that 'Jester' and 'Safari Sunshine' are essentially the same plant. We received our plants as 'Safari Sunshine' from Dennis Perry and listed it under this name from 2003 when we first started growing it until 2008 when we changed the name to 'Jester' to a avoid confusion. 

Information displayed on this page about Leucadendron 'Jester' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

 
San Marcos Growers closed for regular business at the end of 2025 as the property is being developed for affordable housing.
While our gates remain closed, we will open them by appointment so we can liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment. The plants remaining in the field are listed on our Live Inventory Page.
 
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