Work them into your floral rotation and dry them to enjoy throughout the winter. Proteas are flowering plants that need full sun and a dry climate, so they’re produced in areas like Southern California where the climate is conducive to their heat needs year-round. The king protea is the national flower of South Africa.
One of the oldest groups of flowering plants, protea have existed for over 300 million years! A family of interesting and unusually long lasting flowers, they’re available in a vast array of shapes, colours and sizes. We stock protea year round! They are shipped to Canada, however as this is an outdoor crop, the carbon footprint is arguably smaller that hothouse flowers.
This gorgeous prehistoric flower is named after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will.
There are several varieties of Protea, from the soft and delicate ‘Blushing Bride‘ to the tough (and huge!) King Protea. Their head size ranges from 3 to 12 inches.
When you bring them home, cut up to 1/2 inch off the stems and remove leaves that will end up in the water. Removing a few leaves around the flower head will enhance the flower display. Protea are easy to care for, all you need to do is check their water levels frequently, big flowers get very thirsty! Protea dry well. Hang them upside down in a dark location or just let your arrangement dry naturally.
• Rosie, owner Quince Flowers
