Protea repens white

The name 'repens', meaning 'creeping', is misleading as Protea repens is an upright, branched shrub, which can reach a height of 4.5 m. The botanist Thunberg named the same species Protea mellifera, referring to the sweet nectar produced by the flowers. The abundantly produced nectar was collected in the past to be boiled into a kind of sugary syrup.

Protea repens occurs in the Southern part of South Africa from the flats, coastal forelands to the mountain slopes at altitudes up to 1500 metres. The flowering period varies from winter to summer depending on the origin of the plants. The flower colour also varies from a creamy white to deep red.  

Flower bud

Opening flower

My Protea repens this sommer as the first flowers open. 

  

I grow Protea repens outside in the garden with a protection from too much rain in Summer and snow in Winter. It's fair winter hardy surviving -6°C without leaves damage. In the winter I additionally protect the plant with nonwoven tissue.