Plants of the Week

Agathosma serpyllacea

Common names: thyme buchu (Eng.), wildeboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This pink, white or purple flowered buchu is an eye-catcher in a pot or in the garden when flowering....

13 / 08 / 2012 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe varimaculata

Common names: Humpata aloe (Eng.); Humpata-aalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

A small shrubby aloe with rosettes of beautifully mottled, recurved leaves with fairly large, sharply pointed teeth, and orange-reddish flowers with yellowish...

28 / 08 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albizia adianthifolia var. adianthifolia

Common names: flat-crown albizia, rough-bark flat-crown, West African albizia (Eng.); platkroon (Afr.); umgadankawu, iGowane, umNalahanga, umNebelele, uSolu (Zulu);

Family: Fabaceae

Are you looking for a fabulous shade tree, rich in a unique cultural history and adored by elephants and butterflies alike? Then look no further than the...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Alicia Krige | National Herbarium Pretoria

Albuca batteniana

Common names: Wild Coast Albuca

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca batteniana is not a commonly grown garden plant, but a collector's jewel and specialist species. Albucas, as can be seen from the photograph,...

08 / 08 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albuca nelsonii

Common names: candelabrum lily, Nelson's slime lily (Eng.), slymstok (Afr.), intelezi (Xhosa), umaphipha-intelezi (Zulu)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca nelsonii may be found in specialist collections but it is not often seen in gardens. Yet it has attractive flowers, and it is considered a good...

12 / 10 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Alepidea amatymbica

Common names: giant alepidea, larger tinsel flower (Eng.); kalmoes, slangwortel (Afr.); iqwili (isiXhosa); ikhathazo (isiZulu); lesoko (South Sotho), inkatsankatsa

Family: Apiaceae

Alepidea amatymbica has extremely popular and highly sought after rhizomes, for medicinal use, and is an important component of the healer's pharmacy....

26 / 05 / 2003 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Allophylus dregeanus

Common names: forest false currant, simple-leaved false currant, forest bastard currant (Eng.); bosbastertaaibos, enkelblaarvalstaaibos, enkelblaarbastertaaibos (Af

Family: Sapindaceae

Allophylus dregeanus, found in the evergreen forest, will greet you with its sweetly scented flowers, surrounded by beautiful butterflies....

06 / 08 / 2012 | Hannelie Snyman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe genus

Common names: aloe (English); aalwyn (Afrikaans); aalwee (Afrikaans; Dutch); hlaba, lekhala (Southern Sotho); icena (Ndebele); imboma (Zulu).

Family: Asphodelaceae

With their usually spiny leaves arranged in neat rosettes, and tall candle-like inflorescences in predominantly red and vibrant orange hues, aloes are...

22 / 11 / 2010 | Ronell R. Klopper | Biosystematics

Aloe africana

Common names: Uitenhage Aloe, African Aloe (Eng.), Uitenhaagsaalwyn (Afr.), Ikhala (Xhosa)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe africana is a very attractive aloe which adapts to a wide range of conditions. Aloes are characteristic of the African continent where most species...

20 / 09 / 2004 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe albida

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe albida is a dwarf aloe with small white flowers. This species likes misty mountain grassland habitats and thrives in crevices amongst mossy rocks...

06 / 02 / 2006 | Leigh Potter | TSP

Aloe arborescens

Common names: krantz aloe (English), kransaalwyn (Afrikaans), ikalene (Xhosa), inkalane or umhlabana (Zulu)

Family: Asphodelaceae

The krantz aloe is a valuable garden asset, it has large beautiful flowers, attractive foliage, decorative form, and it is easy to grow. It is also a 'must-have'...

24 / 05 / 2004 | Andrew Hankey | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe spicata

Common names: Lebombo aloe, bottle-brush aloe, Gazaland aloe (Eng.); lebombo-aalwyn (Afr.); inhlaba (isiZulu), tshikhopa (Tshivenda)

Family: Asphodelaceae

A most rewarding plant to cultivate, as they can tolerate long periods of drought, but still thrive and flower beautifully. Their striking beauty and often...

06 / 01 / 2020 | Thato Moeketsane | Walter Sisulu NBG

Aloidendron barberae

Common names: tree aloe (Eng.); boomaalwyn, mikaalwyn (Afr.); ikhala (Xhosa); umgxwala, indlabendlazi, impondonndo, inkalane-enkulu (Zulu)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloidendron barberae is a striking sculptural tree aloe bearing a rounded, neat crown. It was previously known as Aloe barberae. It forms an...

30 / 06 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe brevifolia var brevifolia

Common names: short-leaved aloe (Eng.); kleinaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

...

22 / 02 / 2010 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW

Aloe broomii

Common names: mountain aloe, snake aloe (Eng.); bergaalwee, slangaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe broomii has a unique feature that no other aloe has - the flowers and buds cannot be seen when the flower is fully open because they are completely...

12 / 02 / 2007 | Lusindiso Xulubana | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe catengiana

Common names: Catengue-aloe, Catengue-aalwyn, okandolle (umbundu tongue).

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe catengiana is only known from the Catengue Railway Station in southwestern Angola. It is a shrubby ascending aloe with spreading, leafy branches...

12 / 05 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloiampelos

Common names: climbing aloes, rambling aloes, scrambling aloes (Eng.); rankaalwyne (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Rambling aloes, with their usually slender stems and thin, narrow, widely spaced leaves, form much-branched, robust, leaning to creeping shrubs. They can...

09 / 10 / 2017 | Ronell R. Klopper | National Herbarium Pretoria

Aloe rupestris

Common names: bottlebrush aloe, rock aloe (Eng); borselaalwyn, kraalaalwyn (Afr.); inhlaba (Siswati); uphondonde (isiXhosa); inkalane, uphondonde, umhlabanhazi (isi

Family: Asphodelaceae

A handsome aloe with tightly packed yellow flowers that mature to an alluring scarlet or deep orange, forming beautiful, breathtaking, bottlebrush inflorescences...

20 / 01 / 2020 | Jermaine Christoffels | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe challisii

Common names: Steenkampsberg cliff aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe challisii is a charming new cliff-dwelling aloe from the Steenkampsberg in Mpumlanga Province. It is easily grown from cuttings and thrives as...

01 / 10 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe chlorantha

Common names: Fraserburg aloe, green-flower aloe (Eng.); Fraserburgaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe chlorantha is a medium-sized aloe from Fraserburg in the Karoo, at once distinguished by its erect solitary inflorescence, up to 1.6 m high,...

12 / 12 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

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