The Pincushion

Also known as Ornamental Pincushion, Bobbejaanklou, Pincushion Protea

Ornamental pincushions illuminate South Africa's coastal fynbos with striking, radiant blooms whose stiff styles arch upward like pins stuck into a vibrant cushion. Adapted to nutrient-poor soils and periodic wildfire cycles, they rely on indigenous ants to bury their nutrient-rich seeds safely underground until fire clears competing vegetation. The massive nectar production makes each flowering shrub a vital fueling station for long-billed native birds throughout the southern hemisphere spring.