UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA - BOTANICAL GARDEN (original) (raw)

Family: Proteaceae
Common Name: Silver Tree / Silwerboom

A small, slender tree 5- 7m tall, sometimes growing up to 16 m In its natural state the silver tree is confined to a small area of the Cape Peninsula, where it is locally abundant on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. This species is dioecious. The flowers are borne in heads. The silvery sheen of the leaves is caused by leaf hairs and is most prominent during the summer, when the leaf hairs are folded flat against the leaf surface to limit transpiration. During the wet Cape winters when there is little loss of moisture through transpiration, the leaf hairs are half raised and the leaves are grey and dull. This species makes a wonderful specimen plant provided it is planted in acidic, well-drained and ventilated soil. The roots must not be disturbed and it should not be fertilised. Thick mulch of pine needles helps to keep the soil acid and to retain moisture. Leucadendron argenteum grows quickly from seed.