Identity card
Native to South Africa, the Protea (protea cynaroïdes, proteaceae family) is a shrubby plant with bisexual flowers of different sizes and different shaped leaves. Of the many varieties (800), the most well-known is the King Protea, a bushy plant ranging from 0.3m to 2 m in height, the stems of which stretch to 1 to 2 metres. Upon opening, these beautiful pink, red, crimson, yellow, cream or, more rarely, white flowers resemble large artichokes. The King Protea variety is the national emblem of South Africa and the nickname of the South African cricket team.
Similarly, it will be the flower of the football World Cup 2010 taking place in South Africa. Protea grows wild in the “fynbos” of South Africa’s highlands, a sort of shrub-like vegetation limited to the mountainous coastal area in the Western Cape Province. The “fynbos” are located in the protected areas of the Cape Floristic Region (553,000 hectares) listed as a world heritage by Unesco since 2004. There are 9,000 species of plants there, 70% of which are endemic.
Cultivation and care
Besides South Africa, the Protea is also cultivated in Australia and, to a lesser extent, Hawaii, Portugal (Lisbon and Madeira), the Canary Islands and the South of France. Depending on varieties, Protea adapts to different climates and micro-climates. As a general rule, this flower can take cold and cool temperatures. It is an oceanic flower, not a tropical flower.
Protea more often grows in slightly acid, poor but well-drained soil or even sand, under very varied climatic conditions.
Often used in flower arrangements, Protea remains unfamiliar to the general public. Once fashionable about ten years ago, the market seems to be stagnating. (Source: Jawad - Cedrus)
At Rungis Market
“We bring them in from South Africa mainly. But we sometimes buy varieties from Madeira,” explains Mr Jawad Hajjar, General Manager of Jawad - Cedrus. “Shipped in by air, they are available on the Market throughout the year. Depending on the season, we sell 20 to 30 different varieties.”
