With their long lasting flowers and incredible array of texture and colour, it's not at all surprising that Protea are now used extensively in both home and commercial flower arranging. Our Proteas are usually incorporated in arrangements with other Australian flowers and sold commercially as "natives" or "wildflowers". There is now a trend to use Proteas with all sorts of other flowers to create new and exciting arrangements. Leucadendron foliage of varieties such as 'Safari Sunset', 'Silvan Red' and 'Inca Gold' is widely used. The only limit is your imagination.
As fresh cut flowers, the Protea family will reward you with a long vase life and spectacular displays, Getting the best from them is easy if you follow these simple rules. Always use a clean vase and clean water. Add one tablespoon of bleach per litre of water and remember to top up the water daily. For best results display your Proteas in a coolish spot.
Commercial Growers
Is growing Proteas a realistic proposition? Well it can be, provided you pay attention and go about your research well. Indeed, when compared to other plants Proteas are low maintenance, but strict attention to detail is a crucial factor in producing high quality commercial blooms. You also need to be sure that your site, and the Protea family will get on and form a lasting and fruitful relationship. Check your proximity to markets for this will affect your freight costs. Do your research to ensure you're growing popular varieties that will be easy to sell.
Be hard nosed about stock quality and the health of your plants. Only the best will do. Make sure you understand the correct handling procedures, think long and hard about how and where these flowers will be sold, then ensure that your strategy to earn a dollar, or perhaps many dollars, is sound. Now if this is an appealing idea, you're sure to need a whole lot more information to ensure you get it right, but , as they say, the knowledge is out there. You should contact your local Agricultural department or the Wildflowers Australia (formerly AFPGA), or contact us for more details.
