sugarbush, noun

Forms:
Formerly also sugar-bosch.
Origin:
South African Dutch, DutchShow more Translation of South African Dutch zuiker bosch, from Dutch zuiker sugar + bosch bush (see quotation 1823).
a. The flowering shrub Protea repens of the Proteaceae; tulp-boom. b. Any protea. In both senses also called sugar tree, suikerbos. Also attributive. See also protea sense 1 a.
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 367Wageboom is frequent, and in other places, the sugar-bush, being now in full flower, adorned the slopes of the hills, with great splendor.
a1823 J. Ewart Jrnl (1970) 14The Protea of Linn[aeus], called by the colonists the sugar bush, from the quantity of sweet juices the large and beautiful flowers contain, which they often extract and use as a substitute for that article.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 25Here there were broad green leaves encircling the purple flowers of the protea mellifera, or sugar-bush of the Cape.
1856 R.E.E. Wilmot Diary (1984) 114The sugar bush (P. mellifera) was in profusion of flower.
1857 ‘J.S.H.’ in Cape Monthly Mag. I. May 268The native plant which has grown most luxuriantly of all in the sands, is the sugar-bush — Protea myrtales...Sugar bushes, and Port Jackson willow,..thrive well.
1862 ‘A Lady’ Life at Cape (1963) 89When we left the dear old soul..promised to send me some sugar-bush syrup as a cure for cough and relaxed throat for my little girls.
a1875 T. Baines Jrnl of Res. (1964) II. 257On the height we had now attained, the sugar-bush, or protea,..was expanding its crimson cones into lighter but still beautifully coloured flowers.
1893 J.G. Wood Through Matabeleland 41The protea (sugar bush) and the wild citron grow here.
1900 E.E.K. Lowndes Every-Day Life 34Dotted with bushes of varying colour and appearance,..the sugar bush, or protea, being conspicuous.
1906 B. Stoneman Plants & their Ways 209The involucres of P. mellifera (the Sugar Bush) are often half filled with honey in the early spring.
1917 R. Marloth Dict. of Common Names of Plants 78Sugar bush, The most frequent species of Protea employed for the manufacture of a syrup (bossies stroop) is P. mellifera.
1926 P.W. Laidler Tavern of Ocean 94The beautiful silver-tree was used for fuel, and sugar-bush was planted to replace it.
1931 F.C. Slater Secret Veld 146Surrounded by rugged hills mottled with light grey rocks and dotted with glossy-leaved sugar-bush.
1965 S. Eliovson S. Afr. Wild Flowers for Garden 265P. mellifera...True Sugarbush..This is the Sugar-bush that was used by the first Cape colonists who collected the nectar.
1970 M. Muller Cloud across Moon 239The masses of white and pink sugar bushes were covered with newly opened sticky, stiff flowers.
1976 W. Héfer in Optima Vol.26 No.2, 46Proteas dominate the indigenous growth on the mountain slope and include the creamy-white and the rarer coloured sugar bush, and, in one area, the beautiful blushing bride.
1984 S. Afr. Panorama July 48Members of the well-known family Proteaceae (popularly known as sugar bushes).
1986 Conserva Oct. 24Protea caffra Common sugarbush...Protea repens True Sugarbush.
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 10The flower-bud of a blue sugar-bush (Protea neriifolia).
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 16There is..a large variety of sugarbushes (Protea spp.).
1993 Grocott’s Mail 6 Aug. 10Protea obtusifolia, Bredasdorp Sugarbush. Protea Repens, Sugarbush.
The flowering shrub Protea repens of the Proteaceae; tulp-boom.
Any protea. In both senses also called sugar tree, suikerbos. Also attributive.
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Dutch
sugarbird, nounn.sugarmummy, nounn.
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