Mimetes hottentoticus is an evergreen, upright shrub of 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft) high from the family Proteaceae. It has silvery, broadly egg-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with three small teeth crowded at the tip. The flower heads and subtending leaves form a cylindric inflorescence, topped with a tuft of smaller, more or less upright silvery or pinkish leaves. Each flowerhead contains 8–12 flowers with conspicuously red styles, that are all parallel, projected straight up, pushing against the leaf subtending the higher flowerhead. The styles end in a short white zone topped by a thick blackish pollen presenter. Flowers can usually be found from January till March, few may persist into May. It is called silver pagoda or matchstick pagoda in English and Hottentotstompie in Afrikaans.
How to keep Mimetes Hottentoticus.
Pruning
To maintain the form and health of a matchstick pagoda, it is important to prune it in early spring. Start by removing any dead branches and thin out crowded areas to improve air circulation. Be careful not to over-prune, as this can stress the plant. Instead, focus on trimming back long stems, which encourages bushier growth and enhances flowering in future seasons.
Botanical profile.
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Mimetes
- Family
- Proteaceae
Other names.
