Interesting colours in this one, Arlene.

What is it Arlene..........

This is a photo of my Protea Cynaroides (King Protea) which is the national flower of South Africa and came from Trevena Nursery in Cornwall.Has not flowered this year but has produced loads of new leaves.
My daughter got married in Capetown Feb 2006 and we had a wonderful time out there.
There were girls at the side of the road selling cut Strelitzia for a pound each.
Would love to go back......
Arlene

How long before yours started flowering arlene? Mine is three years old (from the same nursery) but no sign of lfowers yet. It stands outside in summer but comes indoors for winter. Apart from weekly watering inside (with rain water), it doesn't get any tlc

Hi Andrew
When I bought mine last year online I chose the large size @ about £65 and when they delivered it home it was covered in flowers,it was magic!
The bad weather saw the flowers go off and eventually I cut them back.It spent the winter outside,backed onto the house in it's pot-covered by a couple of layers of fleece when necessary.This spring it didn't flower but I have had loads of leaves,.
When I was down at Hampton Court this July I spoke to a Burncoose Representative and someone from Trevena and they said they will flower if there is enough heat and light-(but not necessarily every year)-something sadly lacking this year in any quantity.
Last year I also bought a large Strelitzia and put it in the greenhouse where it overwintered with my fuchsias.Watered it every couple of weeks if dry and kept the temperature at 10 minimum: didn't take it out but put bubble wrap shading up and had 4 huge flowers through June and July.I am not sure whether it would have flowered anyway outside but I know the temperature was much hotter in the greenhouse.
I am thinking of getting it into the greenhouse when it gets colder and see what happens next spring-maybe I will leave it inside, in the meantime will have a trip down to Carmarthen to the Botanical Gardens where they have one growing in the glasshouse and see whether I can get some hints/tips,
I saw it in flower last year and it was not as big as mine.
Didn't realise it would be a problem!
Keep in touch to let me know how you get on!
Arlene
nb bought a tub of their fertiliser from trevena so will use but infrquently.
best of luck
Arlene

Very unusual...

Found it! Very unusual!

fantastic flower Marie~you might have them somewhere you have S African plants in a heated glasshouse?~ I know they have them at Kew and at our local National Botanic Gardens near Carmarthen.

I think they have them at Edinburgh, but havent been home in a while, so my memory may be faulty!

This one? PM!