Protea Flower: Symbol, Culture, and Economy in South Africa

Introduction

The protea, one of the world's most striking flowers, is a crucial part of South African culture, economy, and politics. The largest — and arguably the most spectacular — of the proteas, the king protea, holds an important place in the country's coat of arms and on its official currency, and serves as the nation's national flower. Today, the understanding and preservation of the protea has become integral to understanding and preserving the very character of South Africa as a nation.

The King Protea

The Protea cynaroides, commonly known as the king protea, is the national flower of South Africa. It was first seriously considered for the country's official national floral emblem in 1962, when a commission was established to study its suitability. The South African Association of Botanists supported the choice of this spectacular flower; however, the king protea was not formally designated the national floral emblem until 1975 (SA Embassy).

The king protea is the largest member of the protea genus. Individual plants can reach close to two meters in height, and the flower head itself can measure up to 30 cm across. The outer bracts are generally pink or crimson and covered with silky hairs, which surround the central lilac flowers (Royal Botanic Gardens). The king protea displays considerable variation in both color and leaf shape, and in nature the flower bracts can even appear silvery-pink (SA Embassy).

The king protea is widespread across the southwestern and southern areas of both the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, ranging from the Cedarberg mountains east to Grahamstown (SA Embassy). Its specific epithet, cynaroides, is derived from the Latin for "like cynara" — that is, resembling the globe artichoke. Early collectors frequently referred to the flower heads as "artichoke lights," which gave rise to the name (SA Embassy).

The king protea was first introduced to Britain in 1775, but the plants did not survive well or bloom successfully. It was not until 1986 that the king protea was once again encouraged to flower in Britain (Royal Botanic Gardens).

The Protea Family

While the king protea is the most famous member of the protea genus, a number of other attractive proteas are found throughout South Africa. The sugarbush (Protea repens), for example, ranges from pink-red to white and bears flower heads of close to 15 cm — considerably smaller than those of the king protea. It takes its name from the large quantities of nectar produced by its flowers. Early South African colonists used this nectar as a sugar substitute and as a treatment for coughs (Royal Botanic Gardens).

The shape of bracts is important in distinguishing two main groups of proteas. Bearded proteas include P. neriifolia, a plant with red, pink, or white bracts tipped with black beards. Spoon-shaped bracts characterize another group, which includes P. susannae (red-brown bracts) and P. obtusifolia (smooth, red to white bracts) (Royal Botanic Gardens).

Proteas were originally mistaken for thistles by European observers in the seventeenth century because of their superficial resemblance (Royal Botanic Gardens). Linnaeus formally named the Proteaceae family in 1735, after several specimens were sent to him from the Cape region of South Africa. He derived the name "protea" from the Greek god Proteus, who was said to take many shapes — an apt metaphor for a genus capable of assuming a wide variety of shapes and colors.

All genera within the Proteaceae family share the same basic flower type, but they differ greatly in form. Of these genera, Protea, Leucospermum, Mimetes, and Leucadendron are the most common, while Diastella, Aulax, Faurea, Spatalla, Paranomus, Sorocephalus, Brabejum, and Surruria are less abundant. The Proteaceae family occurs only in the southern hemisphere, with representatives in Australia (such as Telopea and Banksia) and South America (such as the Chilean fire bush). The Protea genus itself is found in both South Africa and Australia (Royal Botanic Gardens).

Protea flowers are often described as magnificent and striking owing to their unusual shapes, eye-catching colors, and large size. The proteas account for five of the largest flower heads in the world: the king protea (P. cynaroides) is the largest, followed by the Krantz Sugarbush (P. rupicola), Snowball Sugarbush (P. cryophila), Wagon Tree (P. nitida), and Queen Sugarbush (P. magnifica) (Protea Atlas Project).

Of the protea species, 82 are present in South Africa, 114 are found across Africa as a whole, and 69 species occur within the Cape Province (Royal Botanic Gardens). Wild proteas in South Africa grow largely on acidic, nutrient-poor, and free-draining soils. They typically inhabit mountain environments characterized by dry, windy summers, periodic drought, and winter rainfall. Different species have adapted to these conditions in various ways: some have small, hairy leaves to minimize water loss; others have underground stems for drought resistance; and some possess specialized roots that increase nutrient uptake in infertile soils. Lignotubers — specialized swellings at the base of the stem — help protect plants from fire, since new shoots can regenerate from these structures (Royal Botanic Gardens).

The protea genus encompasses a wide variety of growth forms, from low shrubs to tall trees. Proteas have simple, leathery leaves that can vary considerably in shape and size. Flowers are massed in an inflorescence and surrounded by bracts — petal-like structures that are commonly mistaken for individual flowers (Royal Botanic Gardens).

In the wild, protea flowers are pollinated by songbirds, which visit the blooms for nectar and later use dry flower heads as nesting material (Royal Botanic Gardens). Proteas are also successfully cultivated both within South Africa and internationally. As in the wild, cultivated plants require well-drained, acidic soils and do not tolerate temperatures below 0–2°C, though they can be grown indoors (Royal Botanic Gardens). Many plants cultivated in regions such as Southern California, including proteas, were originally sourced from South Africa.

Proteas are only one part of South Africa's extraordinarily diverse flora. The Cape Floristic Kingdom, located entirely within South Africa, is home to nearly 8,600 plant species — more than are found in all of Great Britain. The country's grasslands and scrublands encompass five major habitat types (fynbos, forest, Karoo, grassland, and savannah) conforming to seven biomes: Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo, Fynbos, Forest, Thicket, Savanna, and Grassland. This remarkable diversity means that over 10% of the world's flowering plant species are found in the region (International Marketing Council of South Africa).

South Africa's southwestern corner is home to the fynbos, a shrubland composed primarily of ericas (heathers), restios (grass-like plants), and proteas. Ericas are more delicate in form than proteas. Together, ericas, proteas, and restios produce flowers at almost every time of year (International Marketing Council of South Africa).

Conclusion

The beautiful and diverse protea plays an important role in South African politics, the economy, and the natural environment. The king protea is the most celebrated of the proteas, appearing on both the South African Coat of Arms and the country's official currency. While the king protea is justifiably famous for its impressive beauty and size, many other protea species are equally well-known and valued within the country. Proteas represent a significant source of income for South Africa, in addition to serving as a powerful national symbol. Accordingly, numerous conservation and identification efforts have been undertaken to help preserve this vital element of South Africa's culture, history, and natural heritage.

Works Cited

Agriculturalist Online. "Protea for Flower Power in South Africa." 08 December 2003. http://www.new-agri.co.uk/01-5/focuson/focuson8.html

Department of Foreign Affairs. "South African Coat of Arms." 08 December 2003. http://www.dfa.gov.za/department/coa.htm

International Marketing Council of South Africa. "FLORA: Feast of Flora." http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/fauna_flora/flora.htm

Protea Atlas Project. 08 December 2003. http://protea.worldonline.co.za/default.htm

Rebelo, Tony. "Sugarbird Poisoning." Protea Atlas Project. http://protea.worldonline.co.za/subirdpo.htm

Royal Botanic Gardens. "Proteas." 08 December 2003. http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ksheets/proteas.html

SA Embassy. "National Symbols of the Republic of South Africa." 08 December 2003. http://www.saembassy-jakarta.or.id/symbols.html

South African Mint Company. "Protea Coin Series." 08 December 2003.