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Dovyalis caffra

Common names: Kei-apple (Eng.); Kei-appel (Afr.); motlhono (North Sotho); umqokolo (Zulu); amaqokolo (Ndebele); mukokolo (Shona)

Family: Salicaceae

Dovyalis caffra is a lovely evergreen fruit tree or shrub. It is one of the three Dovyalis species, together with D. zeyheri (wild...

12 / 05 / 2003 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG

Restio dispar

Common names: red-spathe restio

Family: Restionaceae

This large, sturdy, Cape reed will introduce a true autumn feeling in your garden with its striking orange-brown, female inflorescences during April, May...

05 / 05 / 2003 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bolusanthus speciosus

Common names: tree wisteria; Vanwykshout (Afr.); mogaba (Northern Sotho); umHolo (Zulu) National tree list no.: 222

Family: Fabaceae

The tree wisteria is certainly one of the most spectacular of our indigenous trees when in flower, mimicking the splendour of the jacaranda, which unfortunately...

05 / 05 / 2003 | Nick Klapwijk | Pretoria NBG

Baleria repens

Common names: small bush violet (Eng.); kleinbosviooltjie (Afr.), inzinziniba (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

The small bush violet produces masses of pretty tubular flowers and will happily scramble up into surrounding vegetation if conditions are good....

28 / 04 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Apodytes dimidiata subsp.dimidiata

Common names: white pear, bird's eye (Eng.); witpeer (Afr.); umdakane (Xhosa); umdagane (Zulu); umdzagame (Swati) sephopha-madi, kgalagangwê (N. Sotho), tshiphopha

Family: Icacinaceae

Apodytes dimidiata is the ideal tree for the home garden as it does not have messy fruits and is safe to plant near the house, not disturbing the...

28 / 04 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tinospora fragosa

Common names: Aaron's rod, wonder plant (Eng.); Aaron-se-staf, wonderplant (Afr.)

Family: Menispermaceae

Tinospora fragosa is an amazing and peculiar succulent-stemmed twiner with attractive heart-shaped leaves and red fruits. It is easily grown and thrives...

21 / 04 / 2003 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos lehmannii

Common names: Karoo cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

This cycad has been described as the hardiest, most drought resistant of the South African species. In the past, many specimens of this cycad were removed...

21 / 04 / 2003 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Lachenalia corymbosa

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia corymbosa is one of five brightly coloured, bulbous geophytes, which were previously in the genus Polyxena, but have now been included...

14 / 04 / 2003 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos lebomboensis

Common names: Lebombo cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

This cycad is said to be one of the most popular cycads in cultivation, although there is some confusion about its identity. Several populations of what...

14 / 04 / 2003 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Lessertia frutescens

Common names: sutherlandia, cancer bush, balloon pea (Eng.); umnwele(Xhosa & Zulu); kankerbos, blaasbossie, blaas-ertjie, eendjies, gansiekeurtjie, klappers, ho

Family: Fabaceae

Lessertia frutescens is a much-respected and long-used medicinal plant that is also an attractive garden plant, and has been cultivated in gardens...

07 / 04 / 2003 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos horridus

Common names: Eastern Cape blue cycad, blue cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

This cycad has been described as one of the most unusual of all the South African species. It has been very over-collected in the past, but sufficient...

07 / 04 / 2003 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Drosanthemum floribundum

Common names: purple carpet (Eng.); perstapeit (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

This hardy perennial produces dazzling metallic purple flowers in spring each year....

31 / 03 / 2003 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Conophytum truncatum

Common names: dumpling

Family: Aizoaceae

Have you ever seen anything like this? For the uninitiated this strange plant must seem extraterrestrial. So it must have appeared also to its discoverers...

31 / 03 / 2003 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Stenoglottis fimbriata

Common names: fringed Stenoglottis (Eng.); fraiing-stenoglottis (Afr.)

Family: Orchidaceae

This charming, mauve, ground orchid is easily identified by the dark markings found on the leaves and flowers....

24 / 03 / 2003 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Nivenia stokoei

Common names: Kogelberg blue stars, Stokoe's bush iris (Eng.), blousterretjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

The Kogelberg Biosphere is home to many wonderful indigenous plants, among them Nivenia stokoei. With its clusters of blue flowers, it is one of the most...

24 / 03 / 2003 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Welwitschia mirabilis

Common names: welwitschia (Eng.), tumboa, n'tumbo (Angolan), tweeblaarkanniedood (Afr.), !kharos (Nama/Damara), nyanka (Damara), khurub (Nama), onyanga (Herero)

Family: Welwitschiaceae

Weird, peculiar, wonderful, strange, bizarre, fascinating, and of course, unique, are the kind of words that are used to describe the welwitschia. It is...

17 / 03 / 2003 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brunsvigia orientalis

Common names: candelabra flower, red candelabra flower, king candelabra, chandelier lily, chandelier plant, sore-eye flower (Eng.), ajuinbol, koningskandelaarblom,

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia orientalis is one of the exciting surprises experienced in the late summer, when little else is flowering. The emergence of large pinkish...

17 / 03 / 2003 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG