Protea laurifolia old tree

An old Protea laurifolia plant may become tree-like, losing leaves on lower stems covered in grey bark. That is if a fynbos fire doesn’t get the bush before it reaches tree proportions.

The inverted cone-shape of the crown has increasingly dense foliage on the way up until the top where the young leaves are silvery in sunlight. The base is a single stem, branching from near the ground, about 20 cm up. It may measure about 30 cm in diameter.

Persistent woody bases of flowerheads of yesteryear can be spotted among the leaves.

Laurifolia means laurel-leaved, while P. lorifolia, a Protea with a similar-sounding name, has strap-shaped leaves as its specific epithet indicates (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Rebelo, 1995; Rourke, 1980; iNaturalist).