Quick Tips to Improve Protea Life

The demand for Protea has reached fever pitch as their sturdy stems and long-lasting blooms make them the perfect cut flowers. The family tree originates in South Africa and these blooms love sun and sugar, especially Eximia, Latifolia, and Dutchess varieties.

Contrary to popular belief, Protea are not tropical flowers… they are actually Mediterranean flowers, and they can be stored in a floral cooler, especially during warm summer days. Here are some quick tips to improve protea life: 

• Unpack the flowers immediately. 
• Cut up to 1/2 inch off the stems and remove leaves that will end up in the water. 
• Store flowers in a well-lit floral (protea prefer to rest with the light on) cooler or refrigerator between 43-50 Fn. 
• Removing a few leaves around the flower head will enhance the flower display. Note, some Protea are prone to leaf blackening and even with the best post-harvest care, it can still happen. So, if the flower looks fresh and healthy to you, just remove those leaves as well.
• Use a flower preservative or a teaspoon of sugar for added longevity. 
• Check water levels frequently as protea get very thirsty. 
• Keep then out of direct sunlight whenever possible. 
• With proper care, blooms can last weeks in a vase. Then, they don’t die… they dry beautifully! Many Proteas retain their structural design and to some extent their color. When used in dried flower arrangements or wreaths, they are as permanent as almost anything the botanical world provides.

In the Field: Leucospermum

These chic flowers are all style… or perhaps better said, all styles. In other words, their lively, round heads are formed mainly by the long, sprout-like structures, each one ending in a globular knob called a pollen presenter. Together, the mass of styles look a lot like pins bristling from a “pincushion”, a similarity that has given rise to the popular name for this genus.

So appropriate is the name “Pincushion Protea” that it has in fact replaced the original South African name of “Luisies” which refers to the grayish-white, rounded seeds found crumpled in the dried flower-heads.

Leucospermum comprises some forty-eight species, of which all but three are endemic to South Africa’s Cape Province. Flowering time is generally early winter through late spring. Unlike flowers of the genus Protea, which rely on their showy bracts for visual appeal, leucospermum put all their art into the colors of the flowers themselves as well as the flowing shape of each curving component.

In the 1970's the University of Hawaii’s Protea Research Project started working on an exclusive collection of new and improved cultivars of pincushions. The goals were aimed at improved color, increased vase life and good stem length. The results - some amazing and gorgeous hybrids, many of which have quite complex ancestry, some with even ten species parents.

Improving Protea Life

1. Look for fresh and healthy foliage; and flowers that are evenly colored.

2. Beware of blooms that are too tight or too open. For maximum vase life, a protea is often picked when they’re just starting to open.

3. Speed and care are of the essence. It’s possible to extend a protea’s life by several days if they are processed quickly and placed into water as soon as they arrive.

4. Re-cutting protea stems is a very important part of their care since the stem tip may become blocked and incapable of transporting water up to bloom. Cutting ¼” off the base of stems can increase the vase life of protea by up to 45%.

5. “Clean and fresh” takes on new meaning with protea. Your buckets, containers, vases, knives, clippers, and other equipment used in processing must be sanitized.

6. Carefully remove all the leaves from the bottom half to two-thirds of each stem. As a rule, remove any foliage that will be below the water level to prevent it rotting in the water.

7. Water quality has a direct effect on the longevity of protea. Clean water is essential.

8. Protea are thirsty flowers and can take up 75% to 80% of the water in the first hour. Cold or warm water can help to rehydrate stems faster than water at room temperature.

9. Make sure the protea and foliage above the water stay dry.

10. Leave the stems in a cool place for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. This ensures that the protea are fully hydrated before they are brought back into a warmer environment, displayed and Enjoy!