Swartland Sugarbush
Protea odorata Thunb.
Protea odorata, known as Swartland Sugarbush, is an evergreen shrub in the Proteaceae family. It grows up to 1.5 meters tall with light green, later brown, sparsely branched stems. The plant has hairless, curved leaves with pointed tips that can be prickly to the touch. Young spines are pink or reddish, turning brown with age. The leaves become black as they mature.
Description
Protea odorata is a small, sparsely branched shrub native to the Cape Provinces and distributed globally. It is an evergreen species with upward or arched leaves that are hairless and curved on the back. The leaves have pointed tips that may cause discomfort when touched. When young, the spines on the leaves are pink or reddish, but they darken to brown as the plant matures. The leaves themselves turn black with age. The species was first described in 1800 by Thunb.
Other common names
Swartland Sugarbush
Distribution
Global · Cape Provinces
Synonyms
Leucadendron odoratum
