Designing with King Protea

King Protea are awe-inspiring flowers, bursting with texture and perfect for designing. From stunning hand-tied bouquets to elaborate centerpieces and displays, these amazing blooms add a regal twist to designs. California King season peaks from April through June, during which time these blooms are at their showiest and most spectacular.

It makes sense, then, that few things say spring like Kings, and I thoroughly enjoy designing with them when the occasion arises. The key is to create an arrangement that highlights the character of the King you are using. This particular design features an array of seasonal proteas that complement the beauty and majestic form of the King. The Flame Giants + Brandi dela Cruz along with some Ashbyi, Pink Duke, Linifolia and Ivanhoe add vibrant color and texture, while the Rotundifolia and eucalyptus provide a welcome contrast. And, for a spirited touch, I added a little spiky Eryngium or Sea Holly. The main thing is to pay attention to the King’s shape, color, and natural tendencies—and work from there to create an arrangement that fully complements the character and beauty of the flower.

Materials 

• Leucospermum ‘pincushion’ Flame Giant and Brandi dela Cruz 
• Banksia Ashbyi
  
• Protea Pink Duke 
• Leucadendron Linifolia 
• Grevillea Ivanhoe 
• Lepto Rotunifolia or Blue Lepto 
• Eucalyptus Parvifolia 
• Eryngium or Sea Holly Big Blue
• Round ceramic container 
• Floral Foam or poultry netting 
• Clippers
  

Steps 

1. Place the floral form or poultry netting in your container and secure with floral tape.
2. Begin designing your arrangement by creating a base of Grevillea Ivanhoe and eucalyptus Parvifolia.
   
3. Place the King Protea off center in the container. 
4. Continue to build around the King with the Leucospermum, Leucadendron, Protea and Banksia. 
5. Once you have a nice base and shape, insert the Blue Lepto. Make sure to cut the stems at an angle to allow maximum water absorption. 
6. For the final touch, use a stem of Sea Holly to bridge the color palette of the arrangement.
   

Rotundifolia

Looking for alternatives to Chamelaucium or commonly called waxflower? We've got you covered! Consider Lepto Rotundifolia, a member of the Myrtle family and related to clove, eucalyptus, and guava. This Australian native filler flower is often referred to as Blue Lepto or Lavender Queen, and blooms in late spring when it’s waxflower relative is finishing up for the season.

With long woody stems that produce clusters of lavender blooms, Rotundifolia complements the beauty of proteas as well as other seasonal flowers. It’s versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. The long stems are excellent for adding line to an arrangement and are especially chic in oriental and contemporary designs. Rotundifolia stems can also be shaped into decorative handles for baskets, added to dish gardens or simply placed in a bud vase as a charming accent flower.

What to look for

• Buy stems in the bud stage to ensure the longest vase life. 
• Avoid bunches that are shedding or flowers that are turning brown. 
  

Flower Care 

1. Stems should be re-cut with pruning shears. The stems are very woody and may be tough to re-cut, but worth the effort as it will increase longevity. 
2. Place stems loosely in a bucket of flower food solution and place in a cool place where they will get good air circulation. 
3. Rotundifolia has a vase life of 7-14 days.

Praemorsa – Cut-leaf Banksia

We’re turning up the texture with the exquisite Praemorsa or Cut-leaf Banksia!

Wow… texture in this banksia isn’t just limited to the flower, check out the foliage as well! Praemorsa leaves are firm and leathery, with toothed margins and truncated or cut ends (hence the name). The bloom which is often seen in spring consists of hundreds of individual flowers growing out of a woody 10” long and 3” wide spike. And the colors... a wine-red bloom with tips in a blue-green and the grey-green foliage adds even more character to this superb banksia.

After flowering the bloom then turns into a hard cone of follicles that store several winged seeds. The follicles can take years to mature and open, usually needing a fire or a long drying out period. Once seeds are freed, they typically take 30 to 49 days to germinate, and four to five years (plus lots of patience) before you ever see a bloom.

A lovely reminder of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famed words, "Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience." And yes, praemorsa’s amazing textures and true beauty are certainly worth the wait!

In Celebration of Earth Month - The Hummingbird

Despite being stunning cut flowers, proteas not only add color and texture to floral designs, but they also attract a symphony of nature's nectar-seeking guests like birds, bees, and butterflies. Once you've had the pleasure of observing these pollinators in action, it's only natural to want to see them more often, like my favorite... the hummingbird.

Hummingbirds love proteas thanks to the flower's abundance of both pollen and nectar, especially over the long winter months. The small size, rapid wingbeats, mid-air acrobatics, and hovering flight are fascinating to witness. During courtship dives a hummingbird can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour and can average speeds of 20 to 30 miles per hour. It can rotate its wings in a circle and it's the only bird that can fly forward, backward, up, down, and sideways. Such high-energy movement requires that these birds feed every ten to fifteen minutes, and proteas certainly satisfy that hunger. These amazing pollinators bring so much excitement and wonder to the field.

Our top 3 Hummingbird-Friendly proteas….

Grevillea Flowers

Leucospermum – Pincushions

Protea

Proteas: Think Twice Before You Fertilize

Did you know California is one of five Mediterranean-climate regions on the earth where proteas are grown? It’s true! And since springtime is a popular planting time… I have an important growing tip for you.

These amazing plants are cherished for their exotic flowers and foliage that symbolize diversity and resilience. Thanks to their wide variety and low maintenance, proteas can easily be grown in California and bring long-lasting color year after year.

When it comes to resilience, proteas are notorious for thriving in poor, infertile soils. Why? They have ‘cluster’ roots that benefit from nutrients released from decomposing leaves. What’s intriguing is their ability to access enough phosphorus when there is very little available. It’s due to the citrate acid that is released by their roots and is bound to the soil. The citrate frees the phosphorus allowing it to be taken up by the roots. Proteas are very sensitive to phosphorus, and so phosphorus fertilizers can be deadly. Most plants stop absorbing phosphorus when they have their fill, but proteas don’t know when to stop. They take it all… making them sick to the point of dying.

Here Come the Leucospermum

Are you ready for the excitement of Leucospermum? It’s time to breathe more life into your spring arrangements with these fanciful blooms.

These fanciful Leucospermum plants bring so much pleasure to our hearts during this time of the year. The vibrant red, orange, peach, yellow and bi-colored blooms are formed mainly with long, sprout-like structures that end in a round knob called a pollen presenter. Together, the mass of styles looks a lot like pins bristling from a “pincushion”, a similarity that has given rise to the popular name for this genus.

Leucospermum include some forty-eight species, of which all but three are endemic to South Africa’s Cape Province. 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.

Leucospermum are considered Mediterranean plants, which is good news for anyone living in central and southern California. These stunning plants provide drama and stature in the fields and in designs. They’re gorgeous when flaunted on their own, however, when mingled with other proteas… they make for a breathtaking display!

Isopogon

What could be more magical than seeing winter turn to spring? Isopogon celebrates the transition with us. This member of the Australia Proteaceae family consists of over 34 species plus, three varieties. In Western Australia Isopogon are often referred to as cone flowers, while in the eastern states they’re known as drumsticks.

These unique looking spring flowers, born as a solid cone with the blooms spiraling from and surrounding the central cone, look like petite pinwheels. Like many proteas, Isopogon flowers are made up of many flowers that open from the outside in. Its stems are woody, and leaves are green, pointed and surround the flowers at their base.

What to look for

• Buy when the outer flowers in each flower head are opening. 
• Avoid bunches with brown tips on the flowers and with yellow leaves.

Flower Care

1. Keep cool. 
2. Strip leaves from the bottom half of each stem. 
3. Re-cut at least 1/4” off each stem and place in cold water. 
4. Use a preservative as this will help keep open flowers looking fresh. 
5. Replace water frequently.