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Ficus burkei

Common names: common wild fig, strangler fig, Burke’s fig (Eng.); gewone wildevy, wurgvy (Afr.); uluzi, umthombe (isiXhosa); umbombe, umthombe (isiZulu); intenjan

Family: Moraceae

The fascinating Ficus burkei has an extraordinarily hidden life cycle. Its flowers are enclosed within the fig itself and instead of relying on wind or...

| Sibulele Jokazi | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diclis reptans

Common names: creeping koenana, dwarf snapdragon, toadflax (Eng.); isinama (isiZulu); koenana, ponye (Sesotho)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

A small, creeping, mat-forming herb from the family Scrophulariaceae that is valued for its ecological role in wetlands and grassland ecosystems....

| Gorven Mokgaditsi | Lowveld NBG

Quercus robur

Common names: European oak, English oak, pedunculate oak, oak tree (Eng.); akkerboom, Engelse-eik (Afr.)

Family: Fagaceae

The European oak is a majestic, long-lived deciduous tree known for its large, rugged broad leaves, knotted trunk and broad, rounded, and irregular...

| Clara Sitoe | Kirstenbosch NBG

Peperomia leptostachya

Common names: large wild peperomia, slender peperomia (Eng.)

Family: Piperaceae

Peperomia leptostachya is a low growing fleshy plant that stores water in its leaves and stems and is characterized by slender stems almost hidden under...

| Sihle Nqentsu | Pretoria NBG

Peperomia blanda

Common names: large wild peperomia, slender peperomia (Eng.)

Family: Piperaceae

See Peperomia leptostachya. This species was previously included in Peperomia blanda but this taxon has been split into a neotropical (American)...

| | Pretoria NBG

Drosanthemum inornatum

Common names: cinderella vygie, inornate drosanthemum (Eng.), aspoestervygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Drosanthemum inornatum is a summer-deciduous shrublet with soft flaccid stems. The leaves are green, linear and softy succulent. The flowers are solitary,...

| Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Drimiopsis attwoodii

Common names: Attwood’s African hyacinth (Eng.).

Family: Asparagaceae

An attractive miniature bulbous plant with ornamental dark green leaves which are striped with red ridges, forming dense mats on rock sheets. This species...

| Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Astroloba foliolosa

Common names: Camdeboo astroloba

Family: Asphodelaceae

If you're looking to add year-round greenery, interesting texture and vertical height to your garden, the Camdeboo astroloba is an excellent choice....

| Nomama Mei | Kwelera NBG

Aponogeton distachyos

Common names: Cape pondweed, water onion, water asparagus (Eng.); waterblommetjie, vleikos, wateruintjie (Afr.)

Family: Aponogetonaceae

This is a well known local delicacy for the cold winter months. It has become so popular that many commercial plantings have been made in ponds around...

06 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Acmadenia heterophylla

Common names: variable-leaf acmadenia

Family: Rutaceae

This is a delicate looking shrub with starry pink flowers and a sweet lemony scent when touched. It belongs to the citrus family (Rutaceae) with most of...

14 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dimorphotheca pluvialis

Common names: rain daisy, Cape daisy, white Namaqualand Daisy, ox-eye daisy (Eng.); reënblommetjie, witbotterblom, witmargriet (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Dimorphotheca pluvialis is always one of the first spring annuals to flower at Kirstenbosch....

21 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Heliophila coronopifolia

Common names: Blue Flax, Wild Flax, Showy Sunflax (E), Blousporrie, Sporries (A)

Family: Brassicaceae

This dainty, blue annual is an absolute delight when it comes into flower. Upright and graceful, with small cups of bright blue flowers,the plants appear...

28 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Erica 'Gengold'

Common names: Gengold Heath

Family: Ericaceae

It is not often that one unearths a gem that has developed by chance. The hybridisation of two species of Erica in the Harold Porter National Botanical...

30 / 08 / 2000 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucospermum cordifolium

Common names: Pincushion, Common Pincushion (Eng.); Speldekussing, Bobbejaanklou, Luisiesboom, Luisiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

From the middle of July to the end of November groups of Leucospermum cordifolium shrubs provide vivid splashed of orange and red in the Fynbos...

11 / 09 / 2000 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium cordifolium

Common names: heart-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium cordifolium is a spreading, branched aromatic shrub, reaching a height of more than 1.5 metres....

18 / 09 / 2000 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cyclopia genistoides

Common names: Honeybush tea, Heuningbos

Family: Fabaceae

Honeybush is well known in the Cape, not so much as a garden shrub, but as a herbal tea....

25 / 09 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucadendron argenteum

Common names: silver tree (Eng.), witteboom, silwerboom (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

The sight of these giant silver proteas against the mountain must be one of nature's finest and is one to treasure. These beautiful trees, with their...

02 / 10 / 2000 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG