I like this and can just now imagine this fall, when these dried cones are used to start fires in the fire places in the really old homes of the South I love so much.
@eli griggs Hi Eli. I´m not sure we´re talking about the same plants. These are sugarbush flowers from South Africa, called Protea. You must be thinking of some sort of pinecone.
I thought I was looking at Magnolia cones, which have a sweet smell, especially if some of the large seeds are dried into the cone, when it is burned in the fireplace, LOL.