Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/09/2024
E.g., 10/09/2024

Eulophia speciosa

Close-up of Eulophia speciosa
Family: Orchidaceae

With its fairly large, bright yellow flowers,  Eulophia speciosa, one of the most common and widespread southern African eulophias, is a rewarding...

22 / 11 / 2004 | H Kurzweil | Compton Herbarium
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Eulophia welwitschii

Eulophia welwitschii inflorescence
Common names: umlunge (Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

This attractive orchid makes a striking display in summer with its bright yellow inflorescence, especially when occurring in dense stands. It is often...

26 / 01 / 2009 | Beate Hölscher | Pretoria NBG
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Euphorbia barnardii

Euphorbia barnardii
Common names: mokgwakgwatha (Pedi)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia barnardii is an unusual succulent shrub endemic to the Limpopo Province....

26 / 05 / 2008 | Pethole Manyama | CREW
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Euphorbia cooperi

Fruiting branches image ©Geoff Nichols
Common names: bushveld candelabra tree (Eng.); norsdoring (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia cooperi is a succulent tree up to 7 m tall, with conspicuous candelabra-like branches. This plant has milky latex highly poisonous to humans...

28 / 02 / 2005 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Erica annectens

Bush in flower
Common names: cliff-hanger heath
Family: Ericaceae

This late summer flowering erica  is only found on the Cape Peninsula....

29 / 12 / 2014 | Julia September | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Euphorbia

Euphorbia mauritanica in flower
Common names: spurges, euphorbias
Family: Euphorbiaceae

The great charm of the South African euphorbias lies in their varied appeal. They offer something for every taste. A collection may comprise a few selected...

11 / 04 / 2005 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia clivicola

Family: Euphorbiaceae

This is a critically endangered, low-growing succulent perennial endemic to the Limpopo Province. It has short, spiny, 4-angled branches arising from an...

30 / 04 / 2012 | Lerato Hoveka | CREW
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Encephalartos ghellinckii

Encephalartos ghellinckii
Common names: Drakensberg cycad (Eng.); drakensbergbroodboom (Afr.); isidawu (Zul.); umguza (Xho.)
Family: Zamiaceae

The Drakensberg cycad should be not be confused with any other species because of its very narrow and exceptionally revolute leaflets, which are unique...

09 / 03 / 2020 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Euphorbia virosa

Euphorbia virosa flowers
Common names: poison euphorbia (Eng.); Boesmansgif, boomgif, gifboom, noors, melkbos, naboom ( Afr.); nhlangaume (Shangana)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia virosa has a short twisted main stem with large branches emerging from it. The stems are 4- or 5-angled with a pair of thorns at the edges....

10 / 06 / 2013 | Z Kontsiwe | Karoo Desert NBG
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Euphorbia ingens

E. ingens tree
Common names: common tree Euphorbia (Eng.); naboom, gewone naboom (Afr.); mohlohlokgomo, mokgoto (Northern Sotho); unHlonhlo (Sw); Nkondze, Nkonde (Tswana)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

If you are looking for a low maintenance addition to a rock or suulent garden this large cactus-like tree is ideal. It is well suited to dry areas and...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Erica glomiflora var. glomiflora

Erica glomiflora (HG Robertson, Iziko Museums of South Africa)
Common names: lantern heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica glomiflora var. glomiflora is a variable and attractive species exhibiting a wide range of flower shapes and forms that brighten up the southern...

18 / 04 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia mauritanica

Euphorbia mauritanica
Common names: yellow milk bush, golden spurge (Eng.); geelmelkbos, beesmelkbos, gifmelkbos, kaalmelkbos, kleinmelkbos (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A tall succulent shrub with bright yellow flowers eminently suitable for a rock garden....

07 / 04 / 2008 | Allen Gcina Nene | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Euphorbia obesa

Euphorbia obesa
Common names: Sea Urchin, Baseball, Vetmensie
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia obesa is a peculiar, almost ball shaped dwarf succulent plant that resembles a stone....

18 / 02 / 2002 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euryops ‘Silver Sunshine’

Euryops 'Silver Sunshine'
Common names: ‘Silver Sunshine’ resin bush (Eng.); ‘Silver Sunshine’ harpuisbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This Euryops hybrid was discovered in full bloom in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, much to the delight of the horticulturists, as it is a beautiful,...

01 / 01 / 2018 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica retorta

Erica retorta
Common names: hair-leaf bottle heath, bottle heath (Eng.), bottelheide, flessieheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica retorta is one of the sticky-flowered ericas that grows on the dry mountain slopes above the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, in Betty’s...

01 / 08 / 2022 | Loretta Floors | Harold Porter NBG
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Euphorbia stellispina

E.stellispina
Common names: sterretjie-noors, noorsdoring (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia stellispina is a stunning architectural plant and a true survivor in the harsh landscape of the central Karoo and parts of Namaqualand....

01 / 08 / 2005 | Roger Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Elionurus muticus

Elionurus muticus spikelet. Photo Marinda Koekemoer
Common names: wire grass, wire lemongrass, lemon grass, lemon-scented grass, matrass grass, silky grass, simon grass, sour grass, wine grass (Eng.); elsgras, haasgr
Family: Poaceae

Elionurus muticus is an ornamental grass that forms dense tufts with wiry, narrow leaf blades and showy, curved inflorescences. This grass is easily distinguished...

01 / 08 / 2022 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia tirucalli

Euphorbia tirucalli
Common names: pencil plant, rubber-hedge euphorbia (Eng.); kraalmelkbos (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia tirucalli has unmistakable, brush-like branch masses that are a noticeable feature of the plant. It occurs over the widest distribution...

24 / 12 / 2007 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Euryops chrysanthemoides

Flowers and leaves
Common names: golden daisy bush, daisy bush, resin bush (Eng.), geelmadeliefiebos, geelmargriet, harpuisbos (Afr.) (= Gamolepis chrysanthemoides DC.)
Family: Asteraceae

...

10 / 01 / 2005 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Encephalartos cupidus

Plant growing in garden
Common names: Blyde River cycad
Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos cupidus is a very attractive, desirable, frost-hardy, dwarf, multi-stemmed cycad with its usually subterranean stem and blue green leaves,...

05 / 01 / 2015 | K w Sepheka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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