Protea nitida
Encyclopedia
Protea nitida is a large, slow-growing Protea
endemic to South Africa
. It is one of the few Proteas that grow into trees, and the only one that has usable timber.
they are typically much smaller.
The young leaves are crimson, but they become a bluish, sea-green colour in later life. Large, bisexual flower
heads appear all through the year, especially in winter
, and bear sweet nectar. Small nuts are released about a year after flowering.
, all the way to the Bokkeveld escarpment and into the Eastern Cape
. It grows on mountain slopes of all altitudes and in the right conditions, they can form large open woodlands. Though they are not threatened, in many areas they have been cleared for timber, often to be replaced by commercial pine
plantations.
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
endemic to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is one of the few Proteas that grow into trees, and the only one that has usable timber.
Appearance
The Waboom is a slow-growing tree, with very thick white-grey bark, that varies considerably in height. It is normally about 5 meters tall, but in good conditions it may reach a height of up to 10 meters, with a trunk diameter of 1 meter. However, on the Cape PeninsulaCape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula is a generally rocky peninsula that juts out for 75 km into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope...
they are typically much smaller.
The young leaves are crimson, but they become a bluish, sea-green colour in later life. Large, bisexual flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
heads appear all through the year, especially in winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
, and bear sweet nectar. Small nuts are released about a year after flowering.
Distribution
The natural range of the Waboom is from the Cape PeninsulaCape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula is a generally rocky peninsula that juts out for 75 km into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope...
, all the way to the Bokkeveld escarpment and into the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
. It grows on mountain slopes of all altitudes and in the right conditions, they can form large open woodlands. Though they are not threatened, in many areas they have been cleared for timber, often to be replaced by commercial pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
plantations.