Many, but not all Proteas can be dried. They look wonderful for ages and it's well worth investigating. Here are three ways to tackle drying your cut Proteas. It's not difficult, so why not give it a go?
Hanging
Pick the flowers in their prime, strip off the bottom leaves then tie about 5 of the flowers together in a tight bunch with a rubber band. Hang them, heads down in a dry, dark, airy spot for about two weeks.
In a Glycerin Solution
The glycerin keeps the plant material supple and helps it last longer. After cutting and stripping the foliage, place the stems in a glycerin solution as soon as you can. Use a mix of one third glycerin (available at your chemist) to two thirds water. The solution should be seven to fourteen cm deep. Don't put stems in water first, and if the stems have been cut for more than one hour, re-cut them before placing them in the glycerin solution. When tiny beads of glycerin appear on the leaves, take them out and hang them as described above.
Sulphur
Smelly, but really effective at preserving the colours. Simply burn sulphur in a sealed area with the flowers for about five hours before hanging them as described. Sulphur, like glycerin is available from your chemist.
