Protea suggest that the challenge of desire takes many forms.
When Ulysses wrestled Proteus, the Greek god transformed himself into a lion, an elephant, a handful of water, making himself quite a formidable opponent. This large flowering plant, which bears the god’s name, also exists in many forms. More than fourteen hundred species make up the Proteaceae family, some of them known familiarly as King and Queen Protea, Rose Spoon, Pink Mink, Silver Tree, and Blushing Bride.
European explorers first observed protea in South Africa in the l600s. Now many are grown in Southern California, thriving in the heat and aridity.
