Flower of the Month: Pin Cushion Protea

For November, I'm highlighting one of my favorite flowers--pin cushion protea. One of my favorites because it's unusual-looking yet stunning. Definitely show-stoppers! This flower is named so because it looks like a pincushion filled with pins. It also reminds me of fireworks or sea life. They come in red, orange and yellow.

Fun facts about pin cushion protea:

• it is a member of one of the oldest families of flowers on earth, dating back 300 million years
• a symbol of transformation, diversity and courage
• peak seasons are late spring and autumn when the flowers yield a much bigger head
• native to South Africa and grow like hedges in dry, mountainous regions 

 I love these flowers on their own and composed with other flowers in arrangements (to add some whimsy).

at the flower market 

A red pincushion protea adding a pop of a red in an autumn-inpired arrangement