Plants of the Week

Browse through all previous entries of Plants Of The Week

  • Sort by date added
  • Sort Alphabetically
Go to Plants of the Week Advanced Search
E.g., 14/09/2024
E.g., 14/09/2024

Pachycarpus schinzianus

Flowers of P.schinzianus
Common names: cream cups (Eng.); bitterwortel (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

In spring and summer Pachycarpus schinzianus and Xysmalobium undulatum are the two largest and most readily distinguished asclepiads in the grasslands...

21 / 01 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
Read More

Pteronia aspera

Pteronia aspera
Common names: sand gumbush (Eng.); sandgombos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A floriferous, medicinally important shrub, with huge cultural value and commercial potential....

07 / 10 / 2019 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Pachypodium namaquanum

Pachypodium namaquanum
Common names: elephant's trunk (Eng.); halfmens (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

Pachypodium namaquanum must rate as the most sought-after and popular of all large succulents from the arid Northern Cape and southern Namibia,...

04 / 06 / 2007 | Olivia Pekeur | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Pachypodium

Pachypodium species
Common names: P. baronii var. windsorii : none; P. * bispinosum : bobbejaankos, kragman, sterkman, kamoa (Afr.); P. densiflorum var. densiflorum, P. geayi, P. horom
Family: Apocynaceae

Pachypodiums are caudiciform succulents and many of the species produce spectacular flowers. They exhibit a wide range of bizarre growth forms, from bottle-,...

10 / 12 / 2007 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
Read More

Panicum maximum

Panicum maximum
Common names: Guinea grass (Eng. ); blousaad soetgras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

This tufted grass species is highly palatable and attracts many seed-eating birds to the garden. It is regarded as the most valuable fodder plant and is...

21 / 11 / 2005 | Linette Ferreira | Pretoria NBG
Read More

Pappea capensis

Pappea capensis fruit
Common names: jacket plum, Indaba tree, bushveld cherry (Eng.); doppruim (Afr.); umqhokwane, umvuna, indaba (Zulu); ilitye, umgqalutye (Xhosa); mongatane, mopsinyug
Family: Sapindaceae

The red fruit of this tree is a tasty treat for humans and a firm favourite with birds and animals. A fine oil is extracted from the seeds. The jacket...

07 / 06 / 2004 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
Read More

Pachypodium saundersii

Pachypodium saundersii
Common names: kudu lily, rathbonia (Eng.); koedoelelie (Afr.); isihlehle, insema-yamatshe (isiZulu); sikhubakhuba, ligubaguba (siSwati).
Family: Apocynaceae

A low succulent shrub with a large tuberous stem up to 1 m in diameter, mostly above ground and often irregularly shaped, few spiny branches and showy...

20 / 05 / 2024 | Khanyisile Nkosi | Pretoria NBG
Read More

Paranomus reflexus

Paranomus reflexus flowerheads
Common names: Van Staden's sceptre
Family: Proteaceae

Paranomus reflexus is an unusual, decorative fynbos shrub with showy winter flowers; it is probably the best known paranomus but is not often seen...

28 / 06 / 2010 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Paranomus sceptrum-gustavianus

Flower head
Common names: King Gustave's sceptre, bottlebrush, white sceptre, sceptre-like paranomus (Eng.); perdebos, septerpluimbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This is a favourite among the Paranomus with showy, sweetly scented flowers and attractive foliage....

23 / 06 / 2014 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG
Read More

Parinari curatellifolia

Parinari curatellifolia tree
Common names: mobola-plum, cork tree, hissing tree (Eng.); grysappel, bosappel (Afr.); mmola (N. Sotho); mbulwa (Tsonga); mobola (Tswana); muvhula (Venda)
Family: Chrysobalanaceae

This attractive shade-providing tree is a prominent aspect in its environment, and it is no surprise that a tribute to the late Dr David Livingstone (a...

22 / 09 / 2008 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
Read More

Passerina corymbosa

Flowers
Common names: gonna bush (Eng.); gonnabos, bakkerbos (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

Passerina corymbosa, a medium to tall shrub covered in masses of small creamy flowers, is fast-growing and would be a welcome addition to any fynbos...

27 / 11 / 2006 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Pelargonium paniculatum

Pelargonium paniculatum
Common names: no common names on record
Family: Geraniaceae

A robust, succulent shrub that is ideal for water-wise gardens or rockeries, in arid regions....

24 / 07 / 2017 | Sinikeziwe Ncaphayi | Karoo Desert NBG
Read More

Passerina filiformis subsp. filiformis

Close up of flowers
Common names: bakkerbos (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

Passerina filiformis subsp. filiformis is a shrub growing up to 2 m. It is currently quite scarce in the Cape Peninsula, but a healthy community of these...

25 / 10 / 2004 | Christien Bredenkamp | National Herbarium Pretoria
Read More

Passerina ericoides

Passerina ericoides growing near Cape Town
Common names: Christmas berry (Eng.); dronkbessie (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

It is a most exhilarating experience seeing Passerina ericoides growing on cliff faces at Cape Point and overlooking the vast Atlantic Ocean, with branchlets...

18 / 10 / 2004 | Christien Bredenkamp | Pretoria NBG
Read More

Pelargonium multiradiatum

Pelargonium multiradiatum
Common names: none
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium multiradiatum is a hardy, floriferous, spring-summer flowering geophytic species from South Africa’s winter-rainfall area. ...

09 / 06 / 2024 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Pavetta gardeniifolia

Flowers of Pavetta gardeniifolia
Common names: Christmas bride's bush, Christmas bush, kersbruidsbos (Afr.)
Family: Rubiaceae

Masses of attractive creamy-white nectar-rich flowers hang from branches of glossy dark green foliage and their sweet fragrance fills the air at Christmas...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
Read More

Protea roupelliae subsp. hamiltonii

Protea roupelliae subsp. hamiltonii
Common names: dwarf silver sugarbush (Eng.); ranksilwersuikerbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

A dwarf, procumbent shrub, ideal for a rockery or grassland gardens; it produces many low branches, with the stem spreading horizontally, and magnificent...

07 / 08 / 2017 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Pelargonium xerophyton

Pelargonium xerophyton
Common names: xerophyte pelargonium, desert geranium (Eng.)
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium xerophyton is a hardy succulent with thick stems, twiggy branches, beautiful white flowers and aromatic foliage. Its distinctive growth habit...

17 / 06 / 2024 | Sphephelo Kheswa | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
Read More

Pavetta lanceolata

Flowers
Common names: weeping bride's bush, forest bride's bush, bridal bush, Christmas bush ( Eng.); treurbruidsbos, bruidsbos (Afr.); umhleza, ilitoba, umgonogono, umphon
Family: Rubiaceae

In full flower, Pavetta lanceolata looks like a bride adorned in pure white, full of expectation and hope for a long and happy life, hence the...

20 / 11 / 2006 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria
Read More

Pavetta revoluta

P. revoluta Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: dune bride's bush ( Eng. ); duinebruidsbos (Afr.); umCilikishe (Xhosa); umHlabambaza (Zulu)
Family: Rubiaceae

This white-flowered shrub or a small tree is a joy to have in the garden; it also attracts wild life to the garden....

31 / 12 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More