Island Treasures: High Country Farm—Honoka‘a
By Sara Hayashi
Protea flowers originate from the southern hemisphere, and their unusual shapes give them an otherworldly appearance. High Country Farm has 1.5 acres of these unique flowers on the Hamakua Coast.
Shortly after she moved to Hawai‘i Island, Anne St. Johns was introduced to protea flowers by a friend who was growing the King variety. At the time there were no commercial protea growers in North Hawai‘i so Anne decided to take the plunge and open High Country Farm. She and her business partner, Richard Berman, began planting in the late 1990s and began selling protea flowers in 2000.
Growing proteas takes patience as there is a long time between the initial planting and the first harvest—about five years. The commercial life of the plant is approximately 10 years, so commercial growers like High Country Farm must constantly be planning ahead.
Proteas are commonly found in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. They do well in higher elevations and warmer climates. They are resilient against bugs, which allows High Country Farm to dedicate itself to sustainable propagation without the use of sprays.
There are many species of plants under the Proteaceae family that come in all shapes and sizes. High Country Farm focuses primarily on the following four main types:
Protea: Including King and Big Girl Duchess varieties. These flowers are bowl shaped with large, dense flower heads surrounded by narrow, flat petals.
Banksia: Including the Integrifolia variety. These varieties are fairly common and have a long, cylindrical shape which makes them look like candles.
Leucospermum: Including Reflexum and Pincushion varieties, which are dome shaped with protruding pin-like petals. Leucadendron: Includes the Red Devil and Safari Sunset, which have a more compact flower and long, narrow petals.
Protea flowers are beautiful in arrangements or as individual cut flowers. They have a vase life of three weeks or more and dry well. High Country Farm sells through local flower shops, including Nicco Designs in Waimea and Grace Flowers in Honoka‘a, as well to individuals around Hawai‘i Island. They have also begun shipping to the mainland.
High Country Farm
808.936.1045
HighCountryFarm.wix.com/hawaiigrownprotea
