The Majestic Protea cynaroides

With petals like a crown and a presence that demands attention, the King Protea isn’t just a flower… it’s a whole vibe.

Known scientifically as Protea cynaroides, this bold beauty is the national flower of South Africa and for good reason. It’s the largest of all proteas, with a bloom that can reach the size of a 12” dinner plate (yes, really). Think spiky elegance meets soft strength… like if a cactus and a peony were cross-pollinated.

The King Protea is more than a visual wonder, it's loaded with symbolic meaning. Named after Proteus, the shapeshifting sea god of Greek mythology, the flower represents transformation, courage, and the beauty of diversity.

 

In a way, the King reminds us to:

• Embrace change.
  
• Thrive in unexpected places. 
• And never be afraid to stand out.
  

Its ability to grow and bloom in harsh environments has made it a powerful emblem of resilience and renewal… qualities that resonate deeply in both personal journeys and cultural identity.

Fun Facts:

• It looks a bit like an artichoke. 
• It’s been around since the time of the dinosaurs. 
• Florists love it for bridal bouquets.

So, the next time you see one of these spiky stunners, take a moment to appreciate its fierce beauty and let it be a reminder that resilience can be fabulous.

King Protea - The Talk of the Table

One of the biggest perks to planning a spring social or event is the abundance of in-season protea just begging to be harvested for floral arrangements. Early in the season you can look for serruria, leucospermum and waratah while in late spring you can expect Protea cynaroides or king protea in hues of pink, red and white.

Known for its crown-like shape and dinner plate sized blooms, kings epitomize everything we all love about spring: Their shades complement nearly any seasonal-inspired color palette, their shape is bold yet organic, and the texture smooth and hardy. In short, they hit all the senses.

There are over eighty varieties of kings and they're divided into groups according to their leaf type. The leathery leaves vary from large and rounded to small and narrow. The artichoke-like appearance of the blooms nod to the name cynaroides, which means ‘like cynara’… the artichoke. Each flower-head consists of numerous small, tubular-shaped blooms or also called an inflorescence.

So, make the most of your spring gatherings and let these chic beauties become the talk of the table. We guarantee your guests will be captivated.

Majestic Vibes: Protea King

It’s May and we're definitely feeling majestic vibes! It is safe to say our spring King harvest has been bountiful. These chic beauties offer an enchanting world filled with color, texture, and sizes to try. Captivated by the King? We figured if you love them as we do, you’d want to know a few interesting facts about this stunning Protea.

The artichoke-like appearance of the blooms nod to the name ‘cynaroides’, which means ‘like cynara’… the artichoke. The term does no justice to these beautiful blooms as they are the largest in the genus. Some eighty variants of Kings have been depicted, and they're divided into groups according to their leaf type. The leathery leaves vary from large and rounded to small and narrow and their huge flowers can be wide open, almost like a 12” dinner plate or a narrow funnel shape. These flower heads consist of numerous small, tubular-shaped blooms or also called an inflorescence. Their color can range from greenish white to soft silvery pink and deep red, with each kind having its own flowering time.

King Protea are perennial plants that can survive many years in the wild. They also tolerate fires thanks to their thick underground stem filled with numerous dormant buds which starts to sprout shortly after a fire. Fires also assist with drying the cones and releasing seed, while the wind helps spread the seed and seasonal rain triggers germination.

Kings have evolved to survive in the harsh climates, while attracting pollinators at the same time. Obviously, a very compatible combination as these Protea are some of the most ancient flowers, evolving more than one hundred million years ago.

May Gatherings: Décor & Gifting

May always arrives with its fair share of RSVPs. From showers to graduations, Mother’s Day to Memorial Day gatherings, it seems every weekend calls for a celebration, and… of course, there are the gifts and decor. What to get? Well, if you love king proteas, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a few of our top picks… our favorite designs, to create and gift!

Not only are kings totally striking on their own, but they look particularly intriguing when mixed in bouquets.

The large central dome that’s surrounded by spiky bracts with a smooth, velvety texture certainly begs a second look. The extraordinary shape of the bracts or petals gives the bloom a regal, crown-like appearance… it’s an oversized statement flower that looks absolutely fabulous in arrangements.

Captivated by the king? Well, when an occasion calls for a little extra ‘king-power’, there is always the Wreath!

Protea King Bouquets Designed by Mel

We walk a shrewd line when it comes to creating a ‘one-of-a-kind’ King Bouquet: not only are kings totally striking on their own, but they look particularly intriguing when mixed in a bouquet. The large central dome that’s surrounded by spiky bracts with a smooth, velvety texture certainly begs a second look. The extraordinary shape of the bracts or petals gives the bloom a regal, crown-like appearance… it’s an oversized statement flower that looks absolutely fabulous in bouquets.

Captivated by the king? Well, when an occasion calls for a little extra ‘king-power’ here on the farm, we step back and call in our favorite flower-farmer-florist, Mel. His idea of designing a bouquet is basically like planning a meal: once he decides on the main course, the side dishes fall into place. When it comes to his king bouquets, the king or kings obviously take center stage as their color and texture make each bouquet come to life.

In case you don’t have a passionate protea farmer on-hand to whip up a few king bouquets to feast your eyes on, we asked Mel to share some of his recent favorites.

April Blogs & Articles of Interest

Certified American Grown Flower and Greens Farms

What are you doing to celebrate the wonderful moms in your life this year? With Mother’s Day just a couple of weeks away, why not give her fresh-cut blooms shipped directly from Certified American Grown flower and greens farms - it’s a great way to support local businesses especially during this difficult time.

Certified American Grown is a unified and diverse coalition of U.S. flower and greens farms representing small and large entities that grow everything from fragrant garden roses to bright field flowers to lush foliage. Yesterday, I received several boxes of beautifully grown blooms and greens - columbines, hellebores, roses, anemones, tulips, Ornithogalum, delphiniums, pittosporums, podocarps, lily grass, lace ferns and so many more - all the highest quality and freshness. I took them out right away and made some gorgeous arrangements for my home.

Read more here.
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Flower lovers cheer for the exotic ‘King Protea’

The annual Rose Parade winding down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day is a flower enthusiast’s dream.

Every float is covered with lush blooms and greenery from around the world, as well as natural materials such as coconut fibers, seeds and coffee grounds.

The oldest, and certainly one of the showiest, flower on display in the 2020 parade was the King Protea, Protea cynaroides, the national flower of South Africa.

Read more here.
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Protea blooming in popularity

Researchers, breeders in Hawaii exploring design trends
with exotic cut flowers

Quick, where does protea grow? If you answered the Western Cape of South Africa, you wouldn’t be wrong.

The King protea is the national flower of South Africa. Plants in the protea family also occur in the cool, dry areas of Australia, New Zealand and South America. If your fresh holiday arrangement includes exotic cut protea flowers purchased at a local florist shop, chances are they came from a family-run protea farm in Hawaii, where the flower has been introduced and many new varieties are being hybridized by breeders at the University of Hawaii.

Read more here.

In the Cynaroides Realm

At once spiky and delicate, King protea or cynaroides have evolved to survive in the harsh South African climate, while attracting pollinators at the same time. Obviously, a very compatible combo as these chic blooms are some of the most ancient flowers, evolving more than one hundred million years ago.

King protea are perennial plants. They tolerate fires thanks to their thick underground stem filled with numerous dormant buds which starts to sprout shortly after a fire. Fires also assist with drying the cones and releasing seed, while the wind helps spread the seed and seasonal rain triggers germination.

The artichoke-like appearance of the king’s flower-head led to the name ‘cynaroides’, which means ‘like cynara’… the artichoke. The name does no justice to the beautiful blooms of this protea, which is the largest in the genus. There are over eighty varieties of kings and they're divided into groups according to their leaf type. The leathery leaves vary from large and rounded to small and narrow and their huge flowers can be wide open, almost like a 12” dinner plate or a narrow funnel shape. These flower heads consist of numerous small, tubular-shaped blooms or also called an inflorescence. Their color can range from greenish-white through soft silvery pink to deep red, with each variety having its own flowering time.

A luxurious King protea is the crowning glory of a design or bouquet - they offer an enchanting world filled with color, texture, and sizes to try.

Kings Rein

If you’re thinking brides have gone wild for Kings, you’re right— just take a look at some of the recent wedding blogs.  It’s safe to say we’re seeing these awesome protea being used in wedding bouquets and centerpieces at least several times a week - and we’ve got the Pinterest board to prove it.  There’s a little something there for every King connoisseur, from featuring single stems to creating more lavish designs with an array of fabulous blooms and a King as the focal flower.  If you’re as crazy about these chic flowers as we are, we suggest spending a little time in the Cynaroides’ realm.

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HELLO MAY