Protea species Protea Evergreen shrubs...

Protea species Protea Evergreen shrubs with spectacular flowers

Thousands of protea flowers are flown in from Hawaii every day, displayed in fancy florist shops and eagerly purchased by patrons of beauty willing to shell out $6 to $18 per stem.

Proteas last for two weeks in a vase if the water is changed and a bit of stem cut off daily. If you want them to last even longer, hang them upside down for several days until they dry out completely; dried proteas can be used in bouquets or holiday wreaths; no one will be blase about such a gift.

The most popular is Protea cynaroides, the king protea, which has wide-open petals, often pink and white, around a center mound. Other varieties in assorted colors have petals that fold in tightly. Pink Mink ( P. neriifolia ), another favorite with the floral trade, doesn’t open up but keeps a cylindrical shape; it comes in green and a dark, moody pink with black petal tips.

Related species, all members of the Proteaceae family, include Banksia, Leucodendron and Leucospermum, all with eye-popping flowers. And these are just a few of the color and shape variations. Proteas, native to South Africa and Australia, have been compared to thistles, artichoke flowers, even bird feathers, but this is a futile exercise; proteas are uniquely beautiful. And, if you can find them in nurseries, they are in bloom right now.

Protea growers in Southern California recommend planting the shrubs in sandy or gravelly soil (preferably on a slope) in a sunny location where they won’t get much water or attention--or nutrients. Smaller proteas (some of the larger ones can reach 12 feet in height) can be grown in large tubs with a very acid soil mix similar to that for azaleas.

Proteas in the ground should be watered once a week during the first year and thereafter during hot summers, and every two weeks (or not at all) during winter and spring. (The general rule: Never water a protea unless it’s dry.) Plants in containers, of course, dry out faster. And while most proteas are frost-tender, several species can survive temperatures as low as 25 degrees.

Proteas are difficult to grow from seed and almost as difficult to find as plants, although their popularity is growing. Seeds are available from Thompson & Morgan, P.O. Box 1308, Jackson, N.J. 08527; five seeds cost $4.45.

San Gabriel Nursery & Florist in San Gabriel stocks proteas in five-gallon cans for $29. Walter Anderson Nursery in San Diego sells two-gallon sleeves for $7.99 and up, and Turk Hessellund Nursery in Montecito carries proteas in 4-inch pots, 2-gallon sleeves, 5-gallon pots and 15-gallon containers. Prices range from $7.50 to $100.