Proteas are majestic in stature, intricate in detail and beautiful in flower. It is the most famous flower in South Africa and the national flower emblem. The most attractive species derive from the Cape and have common names, like Suikerbos. This even appears in a folksong, where they say (translated into English) “sugarbush I love you, sugarbush, I want you.”

They are evergreen shrubs, which grow to heights of 2 to 3M (6 ft 6 ins to 10 ft) and rounded in proportion. The flowers appear on the tips of each branch, consisting of a mass of tiny blooms, topped by hairy stigmas, which are in shades of pink, white, or red colour. The size of the flower head varies, depending on the type of protea. For example, the Protea Lacticolor has a small head, whereas the most commonly known, the Giant Protea, has a very wide head.

The leaves of most proteas are long, smooth and leathery in texture and greenish in colour. The flowers of these shrubs make lovely flower arrangements, however, if left on the shrub, they remain in bloom for a long time.

The protea generally flowers in early spring, but many types flower in autumn and continue through the winter months, giving one’s garden welcome colour. The faded and dying blooms must be cut off, and then there is no further pruning to be done.

The most important aspect for a protea to survive, is a well-drained soil. A raised area, in a rockery bed, with good, light soil, mixed with compost, and a gravelly sub-soil, is the ideal position. Proteas must be watered well in winter and not as much in summer. These plants do not like the frost.

Most proteas like an acidic soil, except for the Obtusifolia and Susannae, which prefer a limy soil. One must not fertilise with wood-ash, or fertilisers containing potash. Certain proteas, such as the cynaroides, have known to be killed off, with this application.

Proteas like to be grown in an open, sunny area and must be supported by a stake, until established and bushed out. These plants should be planted out, into the garden, when 15-45cm high. They can be grown from seed, sown in March and then take 5 weeks, to 1 year to germinate. For best results, keep seeds in individual tins and wait until 1 year old, before planting out. The seeds can be obtained from Kirstenbosch in the Cape.

They grow fairly quickly, reaching 2m in height, in about 4 years and bear flowers in the 4th or 5th year from seed.

In the next article I will brief you on a few of the different types of proteas.

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Sally Robson is a South African Internet marketer, who together with her husband Derek, have a vision of empowering all fellow South Africans and other non U.S folk, to have equal opportunity and success on the internet, by overcoming the many obstacles facing them. They have started a string of sites, resources, courses and articles, as part of Dersalsites. Sally has a passion for gardening. For more articles and advice on gardening topics, visit Sally at: http://www.dersalsites.com/sallysgardeningtips/  

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