King Protea facts

While investigating facts about King Protea Flower and King Protea Fgo, I found out little known, but curios details like:

King protea is national flower of South Africa. National cricket team of South Africa is known as "the Proteas".

how to grow king protea?

There are 81 varieties of king protea. They differ in the color of the flowers and morphology of leaves. King protea with pink bracts that have silvery sheen is the most commonly cultivated.

What does a king protea look like?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what is king protea. Here are 15 of the best facts about King Protea Plant and King Protea Bouquet I managed to collect.

what does the king protea symbolised in south africa?

1. King protea tolerates wildfires thanks to thick underground stem filled with numerous dormant buds (which start to sprout shortly after the fire).

2. King protea blooms during the warm period of year. Flowers are rich source of nectar which attracts sunbirds, sugar birds, honeybees, monkey beetles, rove beetles and scarab beetles, which are responsible for the pollination of this plant.

3. King protea is perennial plant that can survive 15 years in the wild.

4. Birds and mammals like to eat seed of king protea.

5. King protea has flattened, paddle-shaped leaves. They are leathery, thick and dark green in color. Leaves have long petioles and they are alternately arranged on the stem.

6. King protea gets all the water it needs from the fog. Leaves absorb moist which collects on their surface.

7. King protea develops few thick stems that can reach 3 feet in height.

8. Wildfires facilitate drying of cones and release of seed. Wind plays role in dispersal of seed, while rain during the autumn triggers germination.

9. Fruit of king protea is cone filled with large hairy nut.

10. King protea is named after the Greek god Proteus, who was able to appear in numerous forms, just like this plant (morphology of the plant depends on the area where it grows).

Why is my king protea dying?

You can easily fact check why was the king protea chosen as the national flower by examining the linked well-known sources.

Leaves of king protea can be consumed in the form of tea.

King protea develops 6 to 10 bowl-shaped flower heads that consist of numerous small, tubular-shaped flowers. They can be pink or crimson-colored and surrounded with large, stiff, pointed bracts (modified petals-like leaves). Flowers contain both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers). Inner part of the flower head is filled with numerous white stamens oriented toward the center. Flower head can reach 12 inches in diameter and it looks like large artichoke.

King protea has long vase life. Dried plant can be used for the preparation of various floral arrangements.