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Leucospermum 'Brandi Dela Cruz' (Brandi Sky-rocket Pincushion) - An evergreen shrub that will grow upwards of 7 feet tall but can be maintained at 4 to 5 feet tall by as wide if stems are cut annually for floral arrangements. It has upright stems holding lance-shaped 2-inch-long gray leaves tipped with soft teeth and crowned from December through April (flowering time in Hawaii) with beautiful bright orange pincushion flowers that are 5 inches wide and held on 30-inch stems.
This plant is new to cultivation in California in 2015 but based on what is known about its parentage, standard cultural practices used on other pincushions should apply; we recommend planting in full sun in a well-drained soil with only occasional irrigation once established and mulched to keep the soil cool and retain moisture. It should prove drought tolerant once established and cold hardy to about 25 degrees F. A general preference of this group for acidic soils may justify amending the soil or the application of soil sulfur. Fertilizers should be time release and very low in phosphorus but contain the trace elements Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese and Copper. This dramatic-looking plant should make a dramatic focal point in the gardens and the flowers, with long stems that would be great in arrangements with a vase life of up to 20 days.
The influence of the one parent, Leucospermum reflexum, a plant commonly called the Rocket Pincushion or Sky-rocket Pincushion, can be seen with the way the flower styles broaden, however they do not fully reflex back down as they do with this species, likely due to the influence of the other parent, Leucospermum lineare, which is called the Needle-leafed Pincussion for its narrow leaves, a trait that this hybrid does not inherit. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'leukos' meaning "white" and and 'sperma' meaning "seed" in reference to the white fleshy skin, called a elaiosome, that covers the seeds. 'Brandi Dela Cruz' is an introduction of Agricultural Research Center, University of Hawaii in Kula (Maui), Hawaii. Our plants from Ball Horticulture as part of their Royal Hawaiian Series. It is sometimes marketed under the shortened name 'Brandi'. Images of this plant were taken at Ball Horticultures display for the 2015 California Plant Trials.
This information about Leucospermum 'Brandi Dela Cruz' displayed on this web page is based on research we have conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations we have made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how our crops have performed in containers in the nursery field. Where appropriate, we will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.
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