4. Are proteas Australian native plants?

No! Despite the frequent appearance of proteas in so-called "native" flower arrangements, proteas are native to South Africa. The genus Protea has given its name to a family of related plants (the Proteaceae) and there are are a number of Australian members of this "Protea family". These include Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea, Macadamia and Dryandra.

Dryandra is an Australian genus in the "Protea Family" but Protea, itself (as well as Leucadendron and Leucospermum), are not Australian. This is D.praemorsa [39k]. Click the thumbnail image or plant name for a higher resolution image.