Protea ‘Niobe’ is an ornamental hybrid of the Protea genus, with an upright habit, silvery/cream flowers, and a characteristic black “beard” at the tip. It is widely used as a garden plant and cut flower.
Origin and family: Hybrid resulting from the cross between *Protea magnifica* and *Protea laurifolia*, native to the Cape region, South Africa, from the Proteaceae family.Size: Upright shrub, reaching about 2 m in height and 1.5 m in width.Foliage: Leathery, bluish-green leaves arranged along rigid branches.Flowering: Produces cup-shaped flowers in a silvery/greyish-green to cream color, with a characteristic "beard" of dark (almost black) hairs at the tip of the bracts – one of the most distinctive...Origin and family: Hybrid resulting from the cross between *Protea magnifica* and *Protea laurifolia*, native to the Cape region, South Africa, from the Proteaceae family.
Size: Upright shrub, reaching about 2 m in height and 1.5 m in width.
Foliage: Leathery, bluish-green leaves arranged along rigid branches.
Flowering: Produces cup-shaped flowers in a silvery/greyish-green to cream color, with a characteristic "beard" of dark (almost black) hairs at the tip of the bracts – one of the most distinctive traits of this variety. It blooms predominantly from late autumn to early spring.
Hardiness: Tolerates minimum temperatures down to about -4°C, being resistant once established, but young plants should be protected from the cold.
Sun exposure: Requires full sun and good air circulation.
Irrigation: Moderate to low, drought tolerant once established, but sensitive to overwatering.
Soil: Acidic, nutrient-poor, sandy/stony, and very well-drained soils (pH between 5 and 6.5); avoid clayey, heavy, or calcareous soils.
Fertilization: Use phosphorus-free (or very low-phosphorus) fertilizer; like other Proteaceae, excess phosphorus can be fatal to these plants.
Pruning: Pruning is recommended to shape the plant immediately after flowering or in mid-spring to stimulate new flowering the following year; avoid heavy pruning of mature plants.
Use: Highly valued as a focal point in Mediterranean-style gardens, coastal areas, and also as a long-lasting cut flower.
