Plants of the Week

Aloe pluridens

Common names: French aloe (Eng.), Fransaalwyn, garaa (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

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09 / 07 / 2001 | Alice Notten | Walter Sisulu NBG

Asparagus aethiopicus

Common names: wild asparagus (Eng.); haakdoring (Afr.)

Family: Asparagaceae

A very important species as it is related to Asparagus officinalis, which is cultivated as a vegetable crop worldwide. This is a species that adapts very...

05 / 02 / 2018 | Livhuwani Auldrean Nkuna | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Aloe polyphylla

Common names: spiral aloe (English); kroonaalwyn (Afrikaans); lekhala kharatsa (seSotho)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe polyphylla is a rare and beautiful aloe from the high Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. It does not occur naturally anywhere outside Lesotho with the exception...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Aponogeton angustifolius

Common names: delicate Cape-pondweed, narrow-leaved Cape-pondweed (Eng.); delikate waterblommetjie, wateruintjie (Afr.)

Family: Aponogetonaceae

Aponogeton angustifolius is a freshwater aquatic, with small, ornamental floating leaves and delicate, short sprays of white flowers. It is becoming increasingly...

05 / 09 / 2022 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe reitzii var. reitzii

Common names: Reitz' aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Although it is a rather rare species of aloe, it is easily distinguished by the handsome erect red flower spikes that are produced in summer (unlike most...

12 / 03 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Agapanthus inapertus subsp. intermedius

Common names: Dyer's agapanthus

Family: Agapanthaceae

This Agapanthus was previously known as Agapanthus dyeri. It is an almost mythical agapanthus, very rarely seen in cultivation. It grows in two isolated...

19 / 07 / 2004 | Richard Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe speciosa

Common names: tilt-head aloe (Eng.); spaansaalwyn, slaphoringaalwyn (Afr.); ikhala (Xhosa)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe speciosa is a handsome plant having decorative blue-green leaves with deep pink to pale red, serrated leaf margins, and dense cylindrical flower...

06 / 08 / 2007 | Lusindiso Xulubana | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agapanthus inapertus subsp. pendulus 'Graskop'

Common names: Graskop agapanthus

Family: Agapanthaceae

This striking agapanthus with its compact head of drooping, dark violet blue flowers is always commented on when first seen. The buds as they emerge seem...

15 / 01 / 2001 | Richard Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe striata

Common names: Coral Aloe (English); Blouaalwyn (Afrikaans)

Family: Asphodelaceae

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30 / 07 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Agathosma thymifolia

Common names: limestone buchu, thyme-leaf buchu (Eng.) kalk boegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This bushy shrub colours the veld in hues of pink and mauve during winter. It is a must-have for sandy coastal fynbos gardens....

28 / 07 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agathosma pattisonae

Common names: boulder buchu (Eng.); klipboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

The boulder buchu is a rigid, aromatic, rock-squatting Agathosma only known from the Cedarberg in the Western Cape. Unique in its cliff and boulder habitat,...

12 / 09 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe komaggasensis

Common names: Komaggas coral aloe (Eng.); makaalwyn, streepaalwyn, gladdeblaaraalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

This aloe was previously known as Aloe striata subsp. komaggasensis. It is relatively new to science and not established at all in horticulture...

18 / 07 / 2011 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

Alberta magna

Common names: Natal flame bush (Eng), Breekhout (Afr) uMabophe, isiQalaba (Xhosa), iGibampondo, umCumane (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This is a very impressive indigenous shrub or tree, especially when in flower or fruit. Alberta magna is not only treasured by tree collectors and gardeners...

12 / 07 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe succotrina

Common names: fynbos aloe, mountain aloe (Eng.); bergaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Growing high up on the cliff faces and rocky outcrops in the mountains of the Western Cape, this is one of only a few fynbos aloes. It is an attractive...

19 / 12 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Harold Porter NBG

Aloiampelos tenuior

Common names: fence aloe, slender aloe (Eng.); heiningaalwyn (Afr.); ikhalana, ikalene, intelezi, impapane, umjinqa, umkrakrane (isiXhosa); inhlaba, inhlaba empofu

Family: Asphodelaceae

This rambling aloe forms large clumps topped with masses of delicate, yellow or red flowerheads in summer, and is a useful and undemanding landscape plant....

22 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe thompsoniae

Common names: Wolkberg cliff aloe (Eng.), Wolkberg krans-aalwyn (Afr.).

Family: Asphodelaceae

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04 / 05 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Antidesma venosum

Common names: Tasselberry (Eng.), Voëlsitboom, Tosselbessie (Afr.); isiBangamlotha, Isiqutwane, Umhlabahlungulu, Umhlalanyoni (isiZulu); modulane (Northern Sotho),

Family: Phyllanthaceae

This is an evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded crown, flowers in long, thin catkins that attract insects and insect-eating...

08 / 09 / 2014 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Arctotheca calendula

Common names: Cape marigold, Cape weed, Cape dandelion (Eng.); botterblom, gousblom, soetgousblom, tonteldoekblom, Kaapse madeliefie (Afr.); isiqwashumbe (isiXhosa)

Family: Asteraceae

A weedy annual that can be planted as a showy ground cover or bedding plant for spring and early summer display....

04 / 03 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agathosma martiana

Common names: Humansdorp buchu (Eng.); Humansdorp boegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

A hardy, white-flowering, aromatic shrub for the fragrance, buchu or fynbos garden....

03 / 10 / 2022 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe verecunda

Common names: rand grass aloe, witwatersrand grass aloe (Eng.); randgrasaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe verecunda, with its striking orange-red flowers and grasslike leaves, is an attractive deciduous grassland aloe....

24 / 12 / 2001 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

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