Protea cynaroides
“King Protea”

photo: pennyeast/flickr.com

South Africa's national flower, & the world's best know Protea. This species has large upward facing blooms – up to 11” across, with pink outer bracts. Prized as a cut flower, & jaw dropping in person, it's easy to understand why people will bend over backwards to grow this Protea outside its native range. Here are a few tips to get you started – the right soil is essential! Make sure it is free draining, & nutrient poor. If you have clay soil, incorporate lots of rotted pine needles. Proteas will not tolerant phosphorus, so feed very carefully & judiciously with something phosphate free, & slow releasing. An acid soil is preferred. Variable in height – from 1-6' in height & spread, & circulation around the plant is important, so I would err on the side of giving it breathing room if you can! Bloom time varies based on the provenance of the seed – this form blooms in Spring.

Claire Woods
Propagator