ISHS Acta Horticulturae 453: IV International Protea Working Group Symposium
THE ECOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CONOSPERMUM |
| Authors: | K.A. Seaton, M.G. Webb |
| Abstract:
The genus Conospermum is a member of the Proteaceae family. They are restricted to Australia and comprises over 36 species of which 29 occur in Western Australia. Flowers of several Conospermum spp. are presently picked from natural populations and exported fresh and dried to Japan, Europe and the USA. However, most species, especially those with horticultural potential, have proved difficult to propagate and cultivate. The plants, commonly called ‘smokebush’, occur as small shrubs (0.5 m) to large bushes (2m to 3 m) in sandy heath woodland on soils with a pH ranging from 4.5–5.5 (1:5, CaCl2). They naturally colonize disturbed ground and some species regenerate from seed while others re-sprout from substantial tubers. Flower color included white, cream, pink, and blue. Flowers were either arranged in clusters as in C. eatoniae (blue smokebush), panicles as in C. triplinervium (tree smokebush) and C. incurvum (plume smokebush) or corymbs as in C. crassinervium (tassel smokebush). From natural populations in Western Australia, genotypes of Conospermum spp. were selected which exhibit desirable horticultural characteristics including long stems, different flower colors and a range of flowering times. Various techniques were used to propagate different Conospermum spp. including vegetative, tissue culture and germination from seed. C. eatoniae was planted in November 1994 at Perth, Western Australia and at Mt Barker, 350 km south east of Perth, and have responded positively at both sites to intensive management and applied irrigation. The plants flowered from July to September 1995 and produced a mean of fifteen marketable stems per plant. | |
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