Plants of the Week

Asystasia varia

Common names: Asystasia

Family: Acanthaceae

This lovely garden plant grows very well in shady gardens, as well as in containers (hanging baskets), which is probably the most innovative way to optimize...

13 / 02 / 2006 | T Mukoma | Lowveld NBG

Afrocarpus falcatus

Common names: Outeniqua yellowwood (English), Outeniekwageelhout, kalander (Afrikaans), umkhoba, umgeya (Xhosa), mogôbagôba (Northern Sotho), umsonti (Zulu).

Family: Podocarpaceae

This fast-growing, majestic yellowwood with its elegant shape is certainly a tree for all seasons and all gardens. It is an excellent container plant and...

13 / 01 / 2003 | Nick Klapwijk | Pretoria NBG

Aloe striata subsp. karasbergensis

Common names: Karasberg aloe (Eng.); Karasbergaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe striata subsp. karasbergensis is one of two less known, but equally striking, subspecies of Aloe striata. This particular subspecies is well known...

02 / 03 / 2015 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

Asparagus densiflorus ‘Cwebe’

Common names: Cwebe asparagus fern, Cwebe emerald fern, Cwebe basket asparagus (Eng.); smaragsiervaring (Afr.); isiqobola, umgcagcazane, uvelabahleke (Zul.)

Family: Asparagaceae

A handsome ornamental perennial whose graceful spreading fronds has broader needle-like leaflets than the other varieties of asparagus fern. New foliage...

16 / 07 / 2018 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Atalaya alata

Common names: Lebombo krantz ash (Eng.); Lebombo kransesseboom (Afr.); umzondo, umnondo (Zulu)

Family: Sapindaceae

Introduce a finer texture in your garden by planting Atalaya alata....

13 / 10 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Asparagus retrofractus

$Asparagus retrofractus$

Common names: zigzag asparagus, ming fern bush; ming asparagus; pom pom asparagus (Eng.); katdoring (Afr.)

Family: Asparagaceae

Quite often, this plant is mistaken for a fern when in-fact it is an attractive, scrambling herbaceous flowering plant, that has zigzagging stems clothed...

12 / 10 / 2020 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Athanasia dentata

Common names: toothed-leaf athanasia (Eng.); geelblombos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Green and golden is the best way to describe Athanasia dentata....

18 / 11 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloidendron

Common names: tree aloes (Eng.); boomaalwyne (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Tree aloes, with their striking, bold and often symmetrical architecture and drought tolerance, are sought after by gardeners and make perfect focus plants...

01 / 08 / 2016 | Ronell R. Klopper | National Herbarium Pretoria

Athrixia phylicoides

Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.); Boesmanstee (Afr.); Icholocholo, itshelo, umthsanelo (isiZulu)

Family: Asteraceae

This is a stunning plant that has a great horticultural potential in cultivation. Its beautiful flowers and the soft texture of the leaves make it an asset...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe andersonii

Common names: Mount Anderson cliff aloe (Eng.); Mount Anderson-grasaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

A cliff-dwelling grass aloe, with soft leaves drooping from the sandstone cliff faces of Mount Anderson. It flowers in spring, when the solitary...

19 / 10 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aulax umbellata

Common names: Broad-leaf Featherbush (Eng.), Veerkanariebos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

A slender shrub with bright yellow flowerheads contrasting vividly with the purplish brown young foliage around the flowerheads during summer....

03 / 12 / 2001 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aspalathus quartzicola

Common names: No reported common names.

Family: Fabaceae

Aspalathus quartzicola is one of few species that occur in quartz patches (quartz-silcrete outcrops); a very specialized habitat, hence its species name....

09 / 03 / 2015 | Dewidine van der Colff | CREW

Avicennia marina

Common names: white mangrove (Eng.); witseebasboom (Afr.); mangal, towozi, txomahati (Xironga); isikhungathi (isiXhosa, isiZulu) - these from Van Wyk et al. (2011);

Family: Avicenniaceae

Every travel agent's idea of a tropical paradise involves white, palm-fringed beaches and "the murmur of summer seas" - but what are those...

20 / 06 / 2011 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Aeollanthus rydingianus

Common names: Omavanda rock-sage (Eng.); omavanda-klipsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

A very aromatic, fast-growing, branched, semi-succulent shrublet, with sticky, green leaves, bearing mauve, 2-lipped flowers in winter and spring. It is...

02 / 11 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Arctotis angustifolia

Common names: narrow-leaved arctotis (Eng.); smalblaar gousblom (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This silvery-leaved perennial will light up many a garden with its bright orange or white flowers in spring....

27 / 08 / 2018 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Argyrolobium angustissimum

Common names: Paarl Fire Pea

Family: Fabaceae

Argyrolobium angustissimum is an unassuming Cape peaflower which until relatively recently had been presumed possibly extinct.Figure 1. Argyrolobium angustissimum...

27 / 08 / 2018 | Randall Josephs | Compton Herbarium

Aeollanthus haumannii

Common names: Otjihipa rock-sage (Eng.); Otjihipa-klipsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Aeollanthus haumannii is an aromatic, branched succulent with sticky, green leaves, bearing whitish mauve, 2-lipped flowers in autumn, only known from...

03 / 09 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe condyae

Common names: Barberton cliff-aloe (Eng.); barberton grasaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe condyae is a rare, dwarf, cluster-forming, cliff-dwelling succulent, up to 100 mm high, with short, ascending stems and leaves in a rosette. It is...

23 / 11 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG