Protea longifolia

Protea longifolia, the long-leaf sugarbush, is a somewhat erect to sprawling, single-stemmed shrub that reaches 1,5 m in height and 2 m in diameter. The main stem becomes up to 4 cm in diameter, the mature stems hairless.

The bracts enveloping the bunched mass of individual little florets of each composite flowerhead are white, cream or pink, sometimes tinged with a little green. The fluffy tips of the individual florets in the head are black forming a conic, black bearded peak in the centre. The upper parts around the peak are white. Flowering happens during winter and early spring.

The species distribution is in the southwest of the Western Cape from Somerset West to Bredasdorp and the Agulhas Plain.

The habitat is lower sandstone and ferricrete fynbos mountain slopes and plains. The habitat population is deemed near threatened early in the twenty first century, due to habitat destruction and possibly climate change.

This plant is a favourite with gardeners and florists (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; Rebelo, 1995; Rourke, 1980; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).