Protea obtusifolia - 10 Seed Pack - Indigenous Endemic Perennnial Cut Flower Fynbos Shrub, New

Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of South African flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes in Eglish and Suikerbos in Afrikaans. The genus Protea was named after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will, because plants within this genus have such a wide variety of forms. The Proteaceae family to which proteas belong is an ancient one. Its ancestors grew in Gondwana, 300 million years ago. Most protea occur south of the Limpopo River. They are evergreen shrubs or trees usually found in fynbos. Protea blossoms make excellent cut flowers, keeping their colour for up to three weeks.

In the garden they do well in rockeries and also make excellent feature plants. An added attraction during flowering time is the numerous birds attracted to the plants. Other well-known genera of the Proteaceae are Aulax with brightly coloured pincushion flowers, Leucospermum also known as pincushions, Leucadendron with decorative woody cones and Serruria, of which Serruria florida, the blushing bride, with its beautiful pale pink flowers is the most well-known, Spatalla and Telopea with its unique bright flowers.

Protea obtusifolia commonly known as Bredasdorp Sugarbush or Limestone Sugarbush in English and Bredasdorp-suikerbos or Kalkrand-suikerbos in Afrikaans is a South African endemic species. It grows in the Western Cape Province from Stanford to Stilbaai. Protea obtusifolia is a large upright, rounded shrub, 2–4 m tall with a spread of up to 5 m, and a stout main trunk up to 600 mm in diameter. Leaves are upward curving, broadly lance-shaped, 100–150 x 20–40 mm, with the broadest part above the middle (oblanceolate), an obtuse to rounded apex, and tapering to a distinct petiole. The leaves are rich dark green, covered in minute soft hairs when young but hairless when mature, and leathery.