Dating back approximately 300 million years, Proteas are one of the oldest families of flowering plants on the planet. It is believed that the protea genus originated on the super-continent Gondwana. When the continent eventually split, they were spread primarily across Australia and South Africa.

Proteas were named after the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology, who was the prophetic old man of the sea and shepherd of the sea's flock. He knew all things - past, present, and future and disliked sharing his knowledge. If you wanted to consult him, you had to surprise him during his siesta and tie him up. Even when caught, he would try to escape by assuming many different shapes. If you were able to trap Proteus, he would return to his original shape, answer your questions, and plunge back into the sea.

Because of the intriguing myth that it comes with genus, and their unique charm, the family is known to symbolize extraordinary beauty, embracing diversity and individuality + the courage to stay true to oneself.