Plants of the Week

Ceropegia sandersonii

Common names: giant ceropegia, Sanderson’s ceropegia, Sanderson’s canopy flower, parachute flower, trumpet flower, fountain flower (Eng.); sambreelblom (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Members of the genus Ceropegia are characterized by tubular flowers, specially adapted for the temporary capture of insects for pollination purposes. The...

16 / 12 / 2019 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Crassula alba

Common names: grassland red crassula (Eng.); feko, khato (Sesotho); impakatha, isidwe, isikhelekhehlane (isiZulu)

Family: Crassulaceae

A low-maintenance, attractive garden plant, with enormous, scarlet flower heads that offer a splash of colour to our autumn grasslands, and bright green,...

14 / 03 / 2022 | Philile Khuzwayo | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Cyrtanthus sanguineus

Common names: Kei lily, Inanda lily, Nahoon lily, large red cyrtanthus, fire lily (Eng.), Keilelie, vuurlelie (Afr.), isilawu esimhlophe (isiXhosa).

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Kei lily is a bulbous plant that forms clumps of strappy leaves. It does well as a bedding plant in light shade, providing colour to any dull flower bed...

15 / 07 / 2024 | Itumeleng Machete | Pretoria NBG

Combretum bracteosum

Common names: hiccough-nut, hiccup nut, hiccough creeper (Eng.); hikklimop (Afr.); uQotha (Xhosa)

Family: Combretaceae

The Combretum bracteosum is unique amongst our bushwillows in that it does not have the characteristic, papery, four-winged fruit which is familiar...

14 / 06 / 2004 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Combretum erythrophyllum

Common names: river bushwillow (Eng.), riviervaderlandswilg, rooiblaar, rooiblad (Afr.), umbondwe, umdubu-wehlandze, umhlalavane (Zulu), umdubu (Xhosa), miavana, mo

Family: Combretaceae

One of the winged wonders belonging to the bushwillow family, this medium-sized tree is a fast grower, producing creamy flowers and beautiful 4-winged...

30 / 06 / 2003 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Carpobrotus deliciosus

Common names: delicious sour fig, sweet sour fig (Eng.); suurvy, perdevy, gaukum (Afr.); igcuthuma (Xho.)

Family: Aizoaceae

A flat-growing, rapidly spreading, evergreen, succulent-leaved perennial with large, purple-pink flowers in spring and edible fruits, Carpobrotus deliciosus...

21 / 03 / 2022 | Anam Cimi | Kirstenbosch NBG

Crassula nemorosa

Common names: dwarf cliff-crassula (Eng.), dwergkransplakkie (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula nemorosa is a dwarf, cliff hugging, geophytic, summer-deciduous succulent, from subterranean tubers. The leaves are bluish-green and broad, with...

15 / 07 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Combretum imberbe

Common names: leadwood (Eng.); hardekool (Afr.); motswiri (Pedi); ummono (Sotho); mondzo (Tsonga); motswere (Tswana); umbondwe omnyama (Zulu); mohwelere-tshipi (Nor

Family: Combretaceae

Combretum imberbe is the most impressive of our combretums; even when it is dead, leadwood presents an imposing display, with its almost white trunk...

10 / 04 / 2006 | Patrick Mtsweni | Walter Sisulu NBG

Combretum kraussii

Common names: forest bushwillow (Eng.), bosvaderlandswilg (Afr.), uhwabhu, umdubu-wehlathi (Zulu), ulandile (Xhosa), imbondvo-lemhlophe, umdvubu (Swazi), modlubu (N

Family: Combretaceae

Handsome, quick growing and reasonably cold resistant, this tree is recommended for shady areas in gardens with a mild to warm climate....

07 / 07 / 2003 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Curio talinoides

Common names: blue straws (Eng.); dassieharpuis (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

A conspicuous, spreading, succulent shrub with striking, bluish grey-green, elongated, rounded, succulent leaves, with a resinous smell when damaged. The...

30 / 12 / 2019 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Combretum microphyllum

Common names: flame creeper

Family: Combretaceae

This is a spectacular creeper providing a spring spectacle of flaming crimson, flowering splendour. It is an excellent plant to fill the gaps in larger...

23 / 06 / 2003 | Y Reynolds | Lowveld NBG

Combretum mossambicense

Common names: knobbly creeper (Eng.); knoppiesklimop (Afr.)

Family: Combretaceae

Masses of lovely fluffy pink-white flowers are displayed on bare branches in early spring. Fragrant and resembling small powder puffs, they lure a variety...

11 / 08 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Cotula pruinosa

Common names: yellow bachelor buttons, yellow turban buttons (Eng.); ganskos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Cotula pruinosa is a yellow flowered annual that occurs in the winter rainfall region of South Africa.Fig. 1. The flowerhead of Cotula pruinosa. Photos...

04 / 04 / 2022 | Aarifah Jakoet | Compton Herbarium

Coleus subspicatus

Common names: spike spurflower, long-spiked spurflower, lavender spurflower (Eng.); ritsblom spoorsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Coleus subspicatus is a versatile, attractive and resilient plant that offers both aesthetic appeal and everyday garden benefits, that has become a popular...

29 / 07 / 2024 | Sihle Nqentsu | Pretoria NBG

Combretum apiculatum subsp. apiculatum

Common names: red bush willow (Eng.); rooiboswilg (Afr.); umbondwe (Zulu); imbondvo (Swazi); mohwidiri (Tswana); mohwelere (Sepedi); muvuvha (Tshivenda); ndhuva (Ts

Family: Combretaceae

Combretum apiculatum subsp. apiculatum is an attractive, deciduous, small to medium-sized tree that occurs in various savanna regions, often at low altitudes...

10 / 01 / 2011 | T.T. Masupa | Pretoria NBG

Clivia miniata var. citrina

Common names: yellow clivia, yellow bush lily (Eng.); geelboslelie (Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Clivia miniata var. citrina is a horticulturally outstanding spring-flowering perennial, with a colourful history in cultivation. Grown worldwide for its...

02 / 10 / 2017 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Combretum molle

Common names: velvet bush willow, velvet leaf willow (Eng.); fluweelboswilg, basterrooibos (Afr.); mokgwethe (North Sotho); iNkukutwane (Siswati); xikhukhutsane (Ts

Family: Combretaceae

This is a decorative tree, well suited for a summer rainfall garden....

31 / 10 / 2011 | T.T. Masupa | National Herbarium Pretoria

Combretum woodii

Common names: large-leaved forest bushwillow (Eng.); grootblaarvaderlandswilg (Afr.); iWaphu (Zulu); Mbondvo sehlatsi (Swazi)

Family: Combretaceae

...

14 / 02 / 2005 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Commelina africana

Common names: common yellow commelina (Eng.); geeleendagsblom (Afr.); idangabane (Zulu), lekzotswana (Xhosa); khopo, khotsoana, lekxopswana, tabola-lefalo (Southern

Family: Commelinaceae

Commelina africana differs from most other Commelina species by having pretty, small, canary-yellow flowers instead of the usual blue flowers, and also...

09 / 04 / 2007 | C Mudau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Cotyledon petiolaris

Common names: Kei-cotyledon (Eng.); Keiplakkie (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon petiolaris is a shrubby leaf succulent with orange-red bell-shaped flowers during winter, attracting sunbirds. Its short petioles distinguish...

01 / 02 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

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