Plants of the Week

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E.g., 15/09/2024
E.g., 15/09/2024

Philenoptera sutherlandii

Philenoptera sutherlandii
Common names: forest apple-leaf, giant umzimbeet, bastard umzimbeet (Eng.); bosappelblaar, reuseomsambeet, basteromsambeet (Afr.); umsimbishana, umsimbithana (isiZu
Family: Fabaceae

A large and handsome evergreen tree, with showy pink or purple flowers in midsummer, that grows mainly in forest habitat....

19 / 07 / 2021 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Portulacaria fruticulosa

Portulacaria fruticulosa in flower
Common names: rose porkbush (Eng.), suikerkanna, roos-wolftoon (Afr.)
Family: Didiereaceae

Portulacaria fruticulosa is an ascending, much-branched shrub about 700 mm tall, with slender reddish-brown branches less than 1 mm in diameter at the...

27 / 11 / 2023 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea odorata

Protea odorata
Common names: Swartland sugarbush
Family: Proteaceae

A small, champion shrub that produces very pleasant pink flower heads, pointing upwards or sideway of the branches, that have a slight sweet fragrance,...

13 / 02 / 2017 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pteronia incana

Pteronia incana
Common names: ash bush, blue bush, wild lavender bush (Eng.), asbos, asbossie, bloubos, laventelbossie, kraakbos (Afr.).
Family: Asteraceae

This unpalatable, aromatic, dwarf shrub with beautiful, dusty grey foliage and bright yellow flowers in spring and early summer, is one of the most widely...

16 / 08 / 2021 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Protea amplexicaulis

Protea amplexicaulis
Common names: clasping-leaf sugarbush (Eng.); aardroos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This sprawling protea shyly hides its velvety flowerheads under its unusual grey-green, pink-margined leaves....

31 / 08 / 2015 | Aimee Plutsick | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea nana

Protea nana (Marian Oliver)
Common names: mountain rose, mountain-rose sugarbush (Eng.); bergroos, warebergroos, skaamblom, skaamroos, skaamrosie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

A delightful shrub, with soft needle-shaped leaves that shimmer in the wind, while its cup-shaped, crimson flower heads, shyly nod. ...

20 / 03 / 2017 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pyrrosia schimperiana

Pyrrosia schimperiana growing on a cliff at Mariepskop, Blyde River Canyon.
Common names: canyon fern (Eng.); afgrondvaring (Afr.)
Family: Polypodiaceae

A rare fern, only known from the Blyde River Canyon in the Mpumalanga Province, confined to sheer cliffs. The plant grows in small, dense clusters, with...

27 / 03 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium caledonicum

Pelargonium caledonicum
Common names: Caledon storksbill
Family: Geraniaceae

The conspicuous and unique Caledon Storksbill is one of South Africa’s most rare pelargoniums, only known to occur in the Caledon region of the Western...

11 / 10 / 2021 | Sithandokuhle Wendy Ngcongo | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phygelius capensis

Phygelius capensis, flowers. (Photo Geoff Nichols)
Common names: southern river bell, wild fuchsia, Cape fuchsia (Eng.); rivierklokkie, foksia (Afr.); metsi-matsho (Sesotho)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Phygelius capensis is a hardy, evergreen semi-shrub that bears wonderful bright red or orange, drooping, tubular flowers throughout summer. ...

08 / 07 / 2019 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG
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Platylophus trifoliatus

Platylophus trifoliatus
Common names: white-alder, white-els (Eng.); witels, witelsboom, witte-els, witte-elsboom, witte-elshout (Afr.) Synonyms: Weinmannia trifoliata L.f.; Trimerisma tr
Family: Cunoniaceae

Finding large specimens of this tree in their habitat, may make you think that you have wandered into a forest inhabited by the characters found in ‘The...

17 / 04 / 2017 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Polyxena corymbosa

This plant is now known as Lachenalia corymbosa...

01 / 03 / 2003 | | Harold Porter NBG
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Papaver aculeatum

Papaver aculeatum flower. Photo SAplants
Common names: bristle poppy, orange poppy (Eng.); doringpapawer, koringpapawer, wildepapawer (Afr.); sehlohlo (South Sotho)
Family: Papaveraceae

Papaver aculeatum is an attractive, orange- or pinkish-orange-flowered annual, and the only poppy endemic to the southern hemisphere. It makes an attractive...

22 / 07 / 2019 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Prenia vanrensburgii

Prenia vanrensburgii
Common names: Cape spinach, sea pumpkin (Eng.); seepampoen, strandspinasie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A fast-growing, short-lived perennial succulent, endemic to the sunny, windy, littoral seafront or shoreline zone in the coastal parts of the eastern part...

29 / 07 / 2019 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea lacticolor

Protea lacticolor 
Common names: Hottentot’s Holland sugarbush, hottentot sugarbush, hottentot white sugarbush (Eng.), witsuikerbos, hottentotwitsuikerbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

A large shrub or small tree from the fynbos, with creamy white or pink flower heads in autumn to winter, that can be used for screening, or as a focal...

24 / 04 / 2017 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium vanderwaltii

Pelargonium vanderwaltii
Common names: Otjihipa pelargonium (Eng.); Otjihipa malva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

A rare, cliff-dwelling perennial, known only from sheer, south-facing cliffs of the Otjihipa Mountains in the Kaokoveld of northern Namibia. It is a cliff-squatter,...

29 / 05 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Parinari capensis subsp. capensis

Parinari capensis subsp. capensis
Common names: dwarf mobola-plum, sand apple (Eng.); sandappeltjie, bosappeltjie, gruisappeltjie, grysappeltjie, witappeltjie (Afr.); murunda (Tshivenda), mobolo-oa-
Family: Chrysobalanaceae

A dwarf creeping tree of the South African grassland, Parinari capensis subsp. capensis, captivates with its diminutive stature and remarkable adaptability....

01 / 04 / 2024 | Mpho Mathalauga | Pretoria NBG
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Portulacaria carrissoana

Portulacaria carrissoana, Sierra Chamalinde, southwestern Angola
Common names: Angolan porkbush (Eng.), Angola-wolftoon (Afr.)
Family: Didiereaceae

Portulacaria carrissoana is an ascending shrub with rounded greyish-green succulent leaves, very small cream-coloured flowers on short racemes in late...

08 / 04 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium album

Plant in flower
Common names: Pilgrim's Rest Pelargonium
Family: Geraniaceae

This is a striking plant with light green, fragrant foliage, suitable for the shady mixed border....

08 / 12 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pachycarpus acidostelma

Pachycarpus acidostelma
Common names: Highflats pachycarpus
Family: Apocynaceae

Recognized by its creamy to pale yellow, saucer-shaped flowers, the elusive Pachycarpus acidostelma remains one of South Africa’s hidden gems.Fig....

27 / 12 / 2021 | Kaveesha Naicker | CREW
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Portulacaria longipedunculata

Portulacaria longipedunculata
Common names: Kaoko porkbush (Eng.), langblaarwolftoon (Afr.)
Family: Didiereaceae

Portulacaria longipedunculata is an ascending, slow-growing shrub with reddish to pale brown peeling bark and scar-like nodes from which small, linear...

22 / 04 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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