Plants of the Week

Delosperma tradescantioides

Common names: Kei-delosperma (Engl.); Keivygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

The Kei-delosperma is a cliff-hanger, mat-forming plant endemic to the Kei River and its tributaries, in the Eastern Cape. It has large, flat, hairy to...

12 / 01 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld |

Dianthus basuticus subsp. basuticus

Common names: Lesotho carnation, Lesotho pink, Drakensberg carnation (Eng.); Lesothose wilde-angelier (Afr.); hlokoa-la-tsela (Sesotho)

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Dianthus basuticus subsp. basuticus is an exquisite, almost tufted, evergreen to deciduous perennial. It is extremely hardy and bears a clump of beautiful,...

10 / 10 / 2022 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG

Delosperma velutinum

Common names: silky-leaved cliff-delosperma (Eng.); syblaarkransvygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma velutinum grows widespread along riverine cliffs in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a cliff-hugger with a spreading habit and can be used as a pot plant...

24 / 10 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dewinteria petrophila

Common names: Kaokoveld klipblom (Afr.)

Family: Pedaliaceae

Dewinteria petrophila is remarkable for its amazing reproduction on cliff faces. Apart from producing normal leaves, fruits and wind-dispersed seed,...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dimorphotheca jucunda 'White Moon'

Common names: White Moon Daisy (Eng.); Bergbietou, Bloubietou (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This striking groundcover is a delightful perennial with masses of large white daisy flowers throughout summer....

07 / 01 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diospyros scabrida var. cordata

Common names: Hard-leaved monkey plum; blinkblaar,hardeblaartolbos (Afr.)

Family: Ebenaceae

This lovely little tree has three outstanding features to recommend it; its compact growth habit, its gorgeous glossy foliage and its unusual balloon fruit...

22 / 09 / 2014 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diosma aristata

Common names: Mossel Bay buchu, spear-leaf diosma

Family: Rutaceae

Diosma aristata is without a doubt the most threatened species in this enigmatic genus of plants. Buchus are well known for their medicinal qualities,...

07 / 05 / 2018 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Dracaena transvaalensis

Common names: Wolkberg dragon tree (Engl.); Wolkbergdrakeboom, dolomiet-drakeboom (Afr.)

Family: Ruscaceae

Dracaena transvaalensis is a medium-sized, aloe-like tree. It has large, elongated, ascending leaves arranged in central rosettes. The large inflorescence...

16 / 02 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Digitaria eriantha

Common names: common finger grass, digit grass, giant pangola grass, Pongola finger grass, Smuts finger grass; woolly finger grass (Eng.); kortbeenhoenderspoor, kru

Family: Poaceae

...

06 / 07 / 2020 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Dais cotinifolia

Common names: pompon tree, pincushion tree (Eng.), kannabas, speldekussing, basboom (Afr.), intozani (Xhosa); intozwane-emnyama (Zulu)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

The pompon tree is one of the best known and well-loved indigenous trees, tough enough to be used as a street tree and small enough to fit into most gardens....

25 / 12 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dalbergia obovata

Common names: climbing flat bean (Eng.); bobbejaankoudoring, rankplatboontjie (Afr.); udukuduku, isibandhlube, uphandlazi (Zulu); umzungu, umzungulu (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

...

18 / 12 / 2006 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Daubenya aurea

Common names: none recorded.

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although it is dormant during summer and autumn and has a very narrow distribution area, this extraordinary, beautiful member of the Hyacinth family is...

13 / 01 / 2014 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Deinbollia oblongifolia

Common names: dune soapberry (Eng.); duineseepbessie (Afr.); iqinisamasimu, igolo-lenkawu, iphengulula, umuthi-wezithutha, maqinisa, intisamasimu (Zul.); umasibele,

Family: Sapindaceae

Deinbollia oblongifolia is a shrub or small tree with masses of pale yellow fruits during the winter months; it is an excellent plant to feed garden wildlife,...

27 / 07 / 2009 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG

Delosperma

Common names: Afrikaans names of species: D. carolinense, D. vogtsii : klipvygie, rotsvygie; D. floribundum : skaapvygie; D. herbeum : witbergvygie; D. macellum : r

Family: Aizoaceae

This predominantly summer rainfall genus has long been overlooked as a garden plant. Growth forms vary vastly and showy flowers are produced over long...

17 / 10 / 2005 | P Burgoyne | National Herbarium Pretoria

Delosperma lydenbergense

Common names: Lydenburg vygie (Eng.); klipvygie, rotsvygie (Afr.)

Family: Mesembryanthemaceae

This flat-growing ground cover or small shrub with its purple flowers can take full sun and is an attractive plant for gardens in warmer climates....

23 / 11 / 2009 | K Bayloyi | Pretoria NBG

Dermatobotrys saundersii

Common names: tree jockey

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Dermatobotrys saundersii is unusual in that it is an epiphytic shrublet, which grows in the forks of a variety of trees, and occasionally on the forest...

30 / 09 / 2002 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Dialium schlechteri

Common names: sherbet tree, zulu podberry (Eng.); zoeloepeulbessie (Afr.); umThiba (Zulu); ensiba (Tsonga); enziva (Ronga)

Family: Fabaceae

This very attractive forest tree, with shiny leaves and mottled white bark, will appeal to every tree lover in South Africa....

09 / 01 / 2012 | Jean Meyer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Delosperma zeederbergii

Common names: Spekboom River mesemb (Eng.); spekboomriviervygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Delosperma zeederbergii is only known from cliffs along the upper Spekboom River near Lydenburg (Mashishing) in Mpumalanga. A fast grower, it has soft...

06 / 02 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dianthus albens

Common names: wild pink

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Many people think of Dianthus or carnations as cut flowers from places in Europe and very little is known about our very own indigenous species. Although...

15 / 12 / 2008 | Gary Shanks | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dianthus zeyheri

Common names: wild pink dianthus, African carnation (Eng.); grasangelier, wild-angelier (Afr.); iningizimu, isidala, umzima (isiZulu)

Family: Caryophyllaceae

This beautiful, hardy African carnation adds a mass of pink colour to the garden....

20 / 10 / 2008 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

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