Location
- Wild Animal Park
Plant Species
- Banksia: Acorn Banksia
- Banksia: Coast Banksia
- Banksia: Firewood Banksia
- Banksia: Prostrate Banksia
- Hakea: Royal Hakea
- Hakea: Sea Urchin Hakea
- Protea: King Protea
- Protea: Limestone Sugarbush
- Protea: Ornamental Pincushion
- Protea: Pincushion Protea
- Protea: Skyrocket Protea
- Silk Oak
- Silver Tree
- Spider Bush
Plants: Gardens: Protea Garden
The protea was named after the Greek god Proteus, who had the ability to transform himself into many different shapes. And since proteas do come in many shapes and sizes, they are an apt tribute to his legend. The flowers of these startling plants seem rather mythological themselves, like blooms from an alien landscape. Yet they are very much of this planet, native to Africa and Australia. The African Old World genera include Protea, Leucospermum, and Leucadendron, among many others, while Banksia, Grevillea, and Hakea are found Down Under.
Proteas are considered to be among the oldest of flowering plants, and from the tall silver tree to the nodding pincushion, they have the allure of another time. Tucked away along the Kilimanjaro Safari Walk between the Conifer Forest and the Tiger Overlook, the gently winding paths of the Wild Animal Park's Protea Garden are a wonderful place to discover these extraordinary plants.
