Plants of the Week

Paranomus reflexus

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

Paranomus sceptrum-gustavianus

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

Parinari curatellifolia

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

Passerina corymbosa

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

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

Passerina filiformis subsp. filiformis

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

Passerina ericoides

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

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

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

Pavetta lanceolata

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

Pavetta revoluta

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

Pavetta schumanniana

Common names: poison bride's bush (Eng.); gifbruidsbos (Afr.); Sawoti (siSwati); Tshituku ( Venda ); isiMbuzana (isiZulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

What? A poisonous (or poisoned) bride? Surely that is the starting-point of a third-rate horror movie, or a children's fairy tale! No, in fact the...

12 / 02 / 2007 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Pavetta

Common names: bride's bush, Christmas bush ( Eng. ); bruidsboom, bruidsbos, kers(mis)bos (Afr.)

Family: Rubiaceae

When in full flower, these trees or shrubs truly remind one of a beautiful, radiant bride stunningly dressed in a specially designed white garment! As...

24 / 12 / 2007 | Paul Herman | Pretoria NBG

Pavetta cooperi

Common names: Christmas bush, pompon bride's bush (Eng.); pomponbruidsbos, kers(mis)bos (Afr.); luphehlwane (Siswati); is-Anywana (Zulu).

Family: Rubiaceae

...

11 / 01 / 2010 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pearsonia sessilifolia

Common names: silwerertjietee, vaalertjietee (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

The sulphur-yellow flowers of Pearsonia sessilifolia, once pollinated, turn bright organge, signalling to their pollinators to reserve their resources...

29 / 12 / 2008 | Alicia Grobler | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pelargonium abrotanifolium

Common names: southernwood-leaf pelargonium (Eng.); klipmalvabossie, maagbossie, wildemalva (Afr.)

Family: Geraniaceae

This small flowering shrublet with aromatic foliage provides beauty and colour all year round to any arid garden and rockery....

25 / 02 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium acetosum

Common names: sorrel-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium acetosum, with its beautiful shades of salmon-coloured flowers, provides an attractive display in the garden all year round....

10 / 04 / 2006 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium hirtum

Common names: hairy pelargonium, fine-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This is a hardy, waterwise pelargonium ideal for sandy and rocky gardens. It is also well-suited to pots....

04 / 09 / 2017 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium acraeum

Illustration of P. acraeum by M.E. Connell

Common names: horseshoe pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This pelargonium provides year-round colour to your garden.Illustration by M.E. ConnellFlowering Plants of South Africa vol. 20, plate no. 779...

02 / 04 / 2012 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium betulinum

Common names: camphor-scented pelargonium, birch-leaved pelargonium (Eng.); kanferblaar, maagpynbossie, suurbos (Afr.)

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium betulinum is dazzling in full flower, deserving of a place in any garden....

08 / 10 / 2001 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

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