What is the flower language of the king protea?

Flower language: victory, perfection, wealth and good fortune

Today, most of the king proteas cultivated around the world are in the form of shrubs, with plants up to 1 meter tall, lush branches and leaves, and shiny leaves. The flowering period lasts for more than half a year (May-December). It is deeply loved by people in South Africa and even the world because of its long-lasting nature, huge flower shape, bright colors and lifespan of over a hundred years. It is known as the most luxurious and gorgeous fresh cut flower in the world.

In fact, the huge, corolla-like imperial flower that we usually see is not just a single flower, but a flower ball. In the middle of the flower ball, there are countless stamens sticking up upwards, and underneath the stamens are small flowers. They bloom in the crowd, yet remain bright and beautiful. At the outermost edge are huge bracts, which wrap around the big flower ball and add to its bright colors, further showing the flower's dominance. No wonder it is also called the "Big Mac" of woody cut flowers.

Plant Culture

There is also a very interesting phenomenon about the king protea. It has male and female differences. Among many king proteas, you can completely judge whether it is male or female from its appearance. For flowers with masculine titles such as "Emperor", "Duke" and "Prince", their bracts are fully open and the flowers are flat, showing their extroverted and domineering style.

The flowers with female titles such as "Queen", "Imperial Concubine", "Princess" and "Madam" are relatively slender, the bracts are usually half-closed, and the center of the flower and the bracts are usually covered with some fluff of different colors, just like a coat embroidered with mink, highlighting its implicit and noble quality.

Colorful king proteas grow in clusters in the Cape of South Africa, where flowers abound. During the dry summer, large fires often occur there, but this is a godsend for the king protea: because fire is one of the conditions for its survival. Its fruit is too hard for birds and mice to digest, so it can only rely on the high temperature of the fire to crack the fruit and spray the seeds on the ground. The fertile soil after the fire is a paradise for the reproduction of king proteas.