Fynbos is an Afrikaans word meaning ‘fine bush’. It is a group of wild plants that grow in the Western Cape of South Africa

One of the most recogizable fynbos plants is the protea, pictured here. The King Protea is South Africa’s national flower.

Fynbos plants require the intense heat from fire to allow their seeds to spread and grow. Some types of fynbos will keep their seeds for up to one year in preparation for a fire.

© ProjectExplorer.org, 2007-present.
Text by Rebecca Marks.
Image by Meredith Claire.