Protea cynaroides or The King Protea is a popular evergreen shrub from South Africa's Cape Province that features several sprawling stems, each topped with magnificent bowl-shaped flowers up to 30cms across.
The foliage is leathery elliptic, paddle-shaped, mid green leaves.
They are quite drought resistant, but not very frost hardy, go well in Mediterranean style gardens, larger borders and planters and tubs.
They are naturally architectural, the largest of all Proteas and also prized as a cut flower.
For those in cooler climates they go well in glasshouses and conservatories.
Flowering times vary depending on location and climate - usually in springtime but can produce blooms in late summer and autumn too. Young plants tend to need two to three years before they will bloom.