MELBOURNE STREET TREES 75 - PROTEA

Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of South African flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: suikerbos). The Proteaceae family to which proteas belong is an ancient one. Its ancestors grew in Gondwana, 300 million years ago.

The Proteaceae family is divided into two subfamilies: the Proteoideae, best represented in southern Africa, and the Grevilleoideae, concentrated in Australia and South America and the other smaller segments of Gondwana that are now part of eastern Asia. Africa shares only one genus with Madagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera — this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other.

Protea neriifolia x susannae 'Pink Ice' is the hardiest of all proteas. Protea 'Pink Ice' is well suited to low maintenance, low water use gardens. It has an abundance of spectacular flowers, that can be used fresh or dried in flower arrangements.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.