PROTEA NERIIFOLIA SEEDS INDIGENOUS ENDEMIC CUT FLOWER IN PORT ELIZABETH

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. 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land from Clanwilliam to Grahamstown, South Africa. 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 neriifolia commonly known as Blue Sugarbush, Narrow-leaved Sugarbush or Oleander-leaved Sugarbush in English and Baardsuikerbos, Baardsuikerkan, Blousuikerbos, Blou-suikerbos, Blousuikerkan, Roosboom or Suikerbos in Afrikaans is a South African endemic species naturally found growing in the Eastern Cape Province. It grows to a 3m shrub with narrow oblong leaves. Flowers are creamy-green to deep pink in winter, beard white to purple-black. Good cut flower. It tolerates a wide range of soils and is easy to grow.