Protea odorata is easily propagated and respond best when propagated by seed. Sow the seed in late summer to autumn (March to May) in a well-drained, coarse sand mixed with fine-milled, pine bark medium. Treat your seed with a dusting systemic fungicide containing the active ingredient metalaxyl, to prevent post emergence seedling infection. The optimum temperature for germination is 5–10ºC for night temperature and 15–20ºC for day temperature. The drop of temperature is important to stimulate the germination of fynbos seed. The treated seed will germinate easily.

Seedlings are easily infected by the Phytophthora root rot. To keep the seedling or plant alive in cultivation is very difficult. It is important to select the fertile seed before sowing; more often these seeds are fat, whereas unfertile are not. Protea seeds are very sensitive to waterlogging. Use a well-aerated and drained pot or sowing bench and smoke the seed with the fynbos dry and green material.

At Kirstenbosch, seed trays are treated with fynbos smoke, they are laid under an air-tight plastic tent and smoke from burning fynbos is piped into the tent. Smoke extract can also be used to treat the seed and is available for sale from the Kirstenbosch Seedroom. After sowing, cover the seed with a light layer of sand, making sure any exposed seeds are covered. Keep the soil moist and apply fungicide once a week. To prevent the birds, rodents from eating the seed, cover the benches or trays with a grid. Once the seeds have germinated, they will produce the cotyledons, followed by true leaves. The seedlings are ready to be transplanted into small plastic bags or into compartmentalized trays, when they have their true leaves. Plant the seedlings into a well-drained, acidic soil mix, preferably between 5–7 pH levels. At Kirstenbosch the seedlings are placed under shade netting for hardening off in the nursery until they are ready to be planted into the garden after the period of 1 to 2 years. Shade net reduces the direct sun which can dry out the soil in the bags and can also prevent scorch.

Protea odorata is a water-wise shrub in the winter rainfall region once it has established in the garden, normally 3 years after it was planted. These plants survive the extremely hot, dry summers in the motherstock beds at Kirstenbosch, where they only receive rain water in winter and no supplementary water in summer.

Protea odorata it can also be propagated by cuttings. Take the cuttings from November to April from the semi-hard growth of the season. Select the disease-free cuttings of 200 to 250 mm, upright-growing, lateral shoots. Dip the cutting in a rooting hormone for at least 5 seconds. Place your cuttings in a well-drained, aerated medium of 70% perlite and 30% fine bark or coarse sand and finely milled, pine bark, in the multi-trays. Put the trays on the heated benches of 22–25ºC and regularly treat the cuttings with fungicide to prevent fungal infection. Remove the dead leaves and wilting cuttings until your cuttings are rooted. Rooting of Protea odorata cuttings is quite difficult and they can take up to 3 months to root.

Protea odorata grows on nutrient-poor soil more specifically where phosphorus is scarce. Use the application of organic fertilizer to encourage the development of the sensitive proteoid root. Avoid using artificial fertilizers containing phosphorus, as they can cause the plants to collapse and eventually die. Phosphate toxicity can cause the tips of new growth to scorch or die and causes yellowing on the leaves. Keep the soil cool and moist during the hot, dry season by mulching your bed about 5 mm thick. Ensure that the mulch is free of Armillaria root rot, as it will infect the plants and kill them. The mulch will keep the roots cool, keep moisture to the soil and reduce the growth of weeds. Chipping mulch is much recommended, as they break down very slowly and release small amounts of nutrient to the plant. The use of compost should be taken into consideration, as it may change the texture of the soil. Protea odorata does not need much pruning attention, except to remove or prune branches that grow sideways.

Protea odorata is also susceptible to infection by the root rot fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi. Kirstenbosch is trialing the grafting of Protea odorata on the scion of the hybrid Protea ‘Pink Ice’, a cross between Protea compact and P. susannnae, which is less susceptible.