US EditionS.Africa's Iconic Protea Flower Relocates as Climate Warms
- South African farmer Nico Thuynsma grows thousands of proteas flourishing 1,500 kilometers north of their native southern Cape region near Johannesburg.
- This relocation arises as nearly half the country’s protea species face extinction due to habitat loss from agriculture, invasive species, and fire cycle changes, said SANBI in 2021.
- Professor Nigel Barker highlighted proteas as an iconic national treasure that draws visitors to South Africa and cautioned that future climate models indicate an increase in temperature and reduced rainfall, posing risks to species with limited habitats.
- Thuynsma has cultivated close to 200 protea varieties and said, “I protect them” and plans to advise on future planting without irrigation, though he joked he has no climate change solution.
- Experts agree that artificial cultivation in controlled environments like farms or greenhouses remains the only viable method to conserve proteas amid environmental pressures.
38 Articles
38 Articles
S.Africa’s iconic protea flower relocates as climate warms
On his farm two hours north of Johannesburg, Nico Thuynsma gestured towards thousands of orange, yellow and pink proteas in flower and thriving 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) from their natural home at the southern tip of Africa. "They're all different," the 55-year-old farmer said of the assorted blooms from the diverse Proteaceae family that has
S.Africa's Iconic Protea Flower Relocates As Climate Warms
On his farm two hours north of Johannesburg, Nico Thuynsma gestured towards thousands of orange, yellow and pink proteas in flower and thriving 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) from their natural home at the southern tip of Africa.
Cullinan - On his farm two hours north of Johannesburg, Nico Thuynsma contemplates thousands of shimmering, orange, yellow and pink proteas.
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