I was recently given a protea...it is the "Sylvia" variety listed on this page.

{{gwi:2116145}} showing how and where it is potted.

A couple of weeks ago, the leaves around the largest bud began drying out and turning black. Recently, it has been getting much worse, occurring now on the leaves of both stems and spreading at a daily rate.

{{gwi:2116146}} showing the leaves around the largest bud in detail, {{gwi:2116147}} showing the worst effected leaf.

So far, the problem only goes down as far as the point I'm indicating in {{gwi:2116148}}.

Does anyone have suggestions as to what might be wrong? I have heard that both under- and over-watering can cause problems. I live in Melbourne. We have been having a few periods of 32 odd degree temperature for up to four or five days at a time. For a while I was watering the plant every day (as instructed by the docket that came with it) but have recently drawn that back to once every two or three days, because the soil stays damp to the touch for that long.

This plant was a gift, means a lot to me, and I would dearly love to see it flower.

Am I in risk of it dying? What do I need to do?

Thank you for your help.

-Michael V.