Our friend the protea

Dear Flourgal,

I love the variety of protea. How long do they last in an arrangement and what's the best way to care for them?

From,

Exotic Traveler, Philadelphia, PA

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Dear Exotic Traveler,

I love protea too- you have good taste in flowers;) Proteas instantly add pizazz to any arrangement for  their truly exotic and funky look. Like beer, for most people, it's a required taste. There are many varieties in the wild, however on the marketplace you will usually find 3-4 varieties- the most popular being the aptly named pin-cushion. They are super easy to care for. Without doing much to them, they should last for a week. As with all flowers, cutting the bottom on a angle and changing the water daily will extend their life. The stems are woody, but not a thick as hydrangea stems, so using regular scissors should do the trick. I would keep them out of direct sunlight and in a relatively warm to cool spot. 

From,

Flourgal