Compton's Protea, Barberton Protea, siDlungu, siCalabane

I have not grown this rare (endangered in the wild) plant. Protea comptonii, native to the Barberton area of South Africa and on a few h...Read Moreills in adjacent Swaziland, was named in honour of the late Prof. R. H. Compton who was once the Director of the National Botanic Gardens of South Africa and author of “Flora of Swaziland”. Protea comptonii is a large bush or small tree that grows up to about 5 meters tall. Its corky bark is dark and rugged and its large, leathery leaves are grey-green with red margins and midveins. The inflorescence heads have cream colored, spoon-shaped bracts that surround a mass of snow-white flowers in the center. These beautiful blooms may be seen from late autumn through spring. This is a summer rainfall species.