The King Protea flowers in winter. It is bisexual and you may wonder how it works that this flower does not pollinate itself. First, pollen is presented to sunbirds on pollen-presenters. Those are the sharp needle like filaments covered with red pollen at the tips. The pollen smudges onto visiting birds until all the pollen is rubbed off. The tips dry out and in turn can now receive pollen from visiting birds.