Plants of the Week

Lithops optica

Common names: Lüderitz Living Stone, Lüderitz Stone Plant, Lüderitz Beeskloutjie

Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are probably the most well known and popular member of the large succulent plant family, the Aizoaceae. They are commonly called living stones...

01 / 04 / 2002 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Clematis brachiata

Common names: traveller's joy, old man's beard, wild clematis; klimop, lemoenbloeisels (Afr.); ityolo (isiXhosa); morara (S); mogau (T); umdlonzo (isiZulu)

Family: Ranunculaceae

...

25 / 03 / 2002 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Blechnum tabulare

Common names: mountain deer fern, mountain blechnum, false tree fern (Eng.); valsboomvaring (Afr.)

Family: Blechnaceae

This is a large attractive fern for the shady garden....

25 / 03 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Plectranthus saccatus

Common names: stoep jacaranda, porch jacaranda (Eng.); stoepjakaranda, sak-spoorsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

This is one of the more popular and well-known of the Plectranthus or spurflowers. It is known for its pretty flowers which are larger than those...

18 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Cineraria saxifraga

Common names: wild cineraria; geelblom

Family: Asteraceae

Cineraria saxifraga, with its delicate foliage and bright yellow flowers, is a rewarding and versatile plant for the garden....

18 / 03 / 2002 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

Siphonochilus aethiopicus

Common names: Natal ginger, Wild ginger (English); Wildegemmer (Afrikaans); indungulo, isiphephetho (Zulu)

Family: Zingiberaceae

...

11 / 03 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Restio subverticillatus

Common names: broom restio (Eng.); besemriet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

This is one of the most versatile plants of the large Cape Reed family. It can be planted in the garden but will also do well in a pot on a patio or on...

11 / 03 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Arctotheca calendula

Common names: Cape marigold, Cape weed, Cape dandelion (Eng.); botterblom, gousblom, soetgousblom, tonteldoekblom, Kaapse madeliefie (Afr.); isiqwashumbe (isiXhosa)

Family: Asteraceae

A weedy annual that can be planted as a showy ground cover or bedding plant for spring and early summer display....

04 / 03 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Kirstenbosch NBG

Senecio macroglossus

Common names: flowering Ivy, madeliefie-klimop, Cape Ivy, Natal Ivy,

Family: Asteraceae

At first glance, Senecio macroglossus looks like a kind of ivy, but on closer inspection, the bright yellow daisy flowers amongst the foliage make it clear...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe polyphylla

Common names: spiral aloe (English); kroonaalwyn (Afrikaans); lekhala kharatsa (seSotho)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe polyphylla is a rare and beautiful aloe from the high Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. It does not occur naturally anywhere outside Lesotho with the exception...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Salvia muirii

Common names: Muir's wild sage (Eng.), wildesalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

There are many fascinating plants in the sage family. As garden plants, some may be more interesting than beautiful, but Salvia muirii, with its large...

25 / 02 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos ferox

Common names: Maputaland cycad, Zululand cycad, Tongaland cycad (Eng.), Maputalandbroodboom, Tongalandbroodboom (Afr.), umthobane, uthobani (Zulu), chihanga (Thonga

Family: Zamiaceae

A cycad with dark green, arching, holly-like leaves and striking red cones....

25 / 02 / 2002 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

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

Aloe peglerae

Common names: Vuurpylaalwyn

Family: Asphodelaceae

18 / 02 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Podranea ricasoliana

Common names: Port St Johns creeper, pink trumpet vine (Eng.); Port St Johns klimop (Afr.)

Family: Bignoniaceae

...

11 / 02 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Restio paniculatus

Common names: calopsis (English); besemgoed (Afrikaans)

Family: Restionaceae

This is an attractive waterside plant which is normally found growing in waterlogged soils on river or stream banks. ...

11 / 02 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea

Common names: blue water lily, Cape water lily, frog's pulpit, blue lotus (Eng.); blouwaterlelie, kaaimanblom, paddapreekstoel, blou plomb (Afr.); izubu, iziba (Zul

Family: Nymphaeaceae

...

04 / 02 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Nuxia oppositifolia

Common names: water elder, bush nuxia (English); watervlier (Afrikaans); iNkhweza (Zulu)

Family: Stilbaceae

Nuxia oppositifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree (2-5 m) found along water courses, in riverine bush, in gorges or valleys, and sometimes in relict...

04 / 02 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pittosporum viridiflorum

Common names: Cheesewood, White Cape Beech (E), Kasuur, Witboekenhout (A), umVusamvu, Umkhwenkwe, Umphushamvu, Umphushane (Z), Kgalagangwe (NS), Mosetlela (SS), Mpu

Family: Pittosporaceae

This evergreen tree was selected to be one of the Trees of the Year for 2002....

28 / 01 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Halleria lucida

Common names: tree fuchsia, white olive (Eng.), notsung, witolienhout, witolyfhout (Afr.), umbinza (isiXhosa), indomela, umbinza (isiZulu), lebetsa (Sesotho), murev

Family: Stilbaceae

Not only is Halleria lucida an attractive tree and an asset to any garden, it is also one of the best bird attracting trees....

28 / 01 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

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