An analysis of the protea, the national flower of South Africa.
This paper explores the national flower of South Africa, the protea. The paper begins by explaining why the flower was chosen as the floral emblem in 1962. The paper then shows where and how the flower grows and what family it belongs to. The writer then mentions some of the other flowers in the protea family and describes them in detail. The paper explains why the protea is so important in South Africa and has come to represent the very nature of the nation.
“The king protea (Protea cynaroides) is the national flower of South Africa. The king protea was first seriously considered for South Africa’s official national floral emblem in 1962, when a commission was set up to study its use as a national emblem. The South African Association of Botanists supported the choice of the spectacular flower, the king protea, however the choice of the flower as the national floral emblem did not officially occur until 1975 (SA Embassy). The king protea is the largest member of the proteas. King proteas can reach close to two meters in height, and the flower itself can be up to 30 cm across. The king protea (Protea cynaroids) is generally pink or crimson in its outer bracts, which are covered with silky hairs.”