Plants of the Week

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E.g., 09/11/2024
E.g., 09/11/2024

Commiphora woodii

Commiphora woodii
Common names: forest corkwood (Eng.); boskanniedood (Afr.); iminele, wehlathi, umhlunguthi (isiXhosa); iminyela, umdewehlathi, umubu, umunde wehlathi (isiZulu)
Family: Burseraceae

The forest corkwood is one of the few corkwoods that does not have flaking or peeling bark. ...

18 / 10 / 2021 | Siphesihle Precious Sibiya | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eugenia natalitia

Eugenia natalitia
Common names: forest myrtle (Eng.); bosmirt (Afr.); mukavha-mahunguvhu, murambo-thavha, musiri, tshitawatawane (Venda); umthintane, umbhovane, imanzana (Zulu); inch
Family: Myrtaceae

If you want your garden to be bursting with butterflies, bees and birds (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t), then this is the plant for you!...

18 / 10 / 2021 | Rowan Wilson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ruellia cordata

Ruellia cordata
Common names: veld violet (Eng.); grasveldviooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Ruellia cordata is known by its softly hairy, greyish leaves and showy pink, purple-blue or white flowers with purple streaks, in spring and early summer;...

11 / 10 / 2021 | Noko Molokomme | Pretoria NBG
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Pelargonium caledonicum

Pelargonium caledonicum
Common names: Caledon storksbill
Family: Geraniaceae

The conspicuous and unique Caledon Storksbill is one of South Africa’s most rare pelargoniums, only known to occur in the Caledon region of the Western...

11 / 10 / 2021 | Sithandokuhle Wendy Ngcongo | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Grewia caffra

Grewia caffra
Common names: climbing raisin, yellow starflower (Eng.); rankrosyntjie (Afr); ilalanyathi, umunyumunu, iphata, iklolo, isaka, isilandula (isiZulu); likholo, (siSwat
Family: Malvaceae

A multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with a climbing habit, often seen sprawling into nearby plants for support. It bears striking, yellow, star-like flowers...

04 / 10 / 2021 | Robert Jooste | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kumara genus

Striking mass of fan-like rosettes of Kumara plicatilis. Photo A.W. Klopper
Common names: fan aloes (Eng.); waaieraalwyne (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

With their strap-like leaves arranged in the shape of a fan—hence the common names applied to the two species included in Kumara—these plants...

04 / 10 / 2021 | Ronell R. Klopper | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica bolusiae var. cyathiformis

Erica bolusiae var. cyathiformis
Common names: Kraaifontein heath
Family: Ericaceae

The Kraaifontein heath is Extinct in the Wild and could have become Extinct, had it not been for the actions of one individual. It is a variable and attractive...

27 / 09 / 2021 | Kamogelo Solomon Modimola | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe corallina

Aloe corallina
Common names: Kunene coral aloe (Eng.), Kunene-koraalaalwyn, Kunene-kransaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The Kunene coral aloe is at once distinguished by its pendent rosettes of grey-green, unarmed leaves, and coral-red, tubular flowers, 32 mm long, in a...

27 / 09 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia clavarioides

Euphorbia clavarioides
Common names: lion’s spoor (Eng.), grootvingerpol, slangpol, melkpol (Afr.), isihlekehleke, isantilele (isiZulu), sehlehle, sehloko, thethebale (Sesotho)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia clavarioides is a succulent perennial that forms neat, cushion-like clumps of tightly packed stems, just above ground level, with beautiful yellow...

20 / 09 / 2021 | Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Cyclopia pubescens

Cyclopia pubescens
Common names: Algoa honeybush, fluffy honeybush (Eng.); Algoa-heuningtee, donsigheuningtee (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Cyclopia pubescens is a very attractive, yet highly threatened species, endemic to the extreme east of the Fynbos Biome. Its club-like clusters of vibrant...

20 / 09 / 2021 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
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Erica lateralis

Erica lateralis
Common names: button heath (Eng.); knopiesheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

This sturdy evergreen shrub boasts with masses of rosy to pink flowers from late summer until early winter, around February to June. It is ideal for mass...

13 / 09 / 2021 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Synaptolepis oliveriana

Synaptolepis oliveriana
Common names: chalk-stick root (Eng); uvuma omhlophe (isiZulu)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

Synaptolepis oliveriana is a much-branched, scrambling shrub, with spear-shaped leaves and sweetly scented, creamy yellow flowers in summer; the plant...

13 / 09 / 2021 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Haemanthus sanguineus

Haemanthus sanguineus
Common names: smooth bloodlily, April fool (Eng.); veldskoenblaar, brandlelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The blood-red flowers of Haemanthus sanguineus stand out in the late summer flowering season, and its magnificent leaves are quite spectacular to see during...

06 / 09 / 2021 | Ricardo Riddles | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aloe dewinteri

Aloe dewinterii
Common names: Sesfontein Aloe (Eng.); Sesfonteinaalwyn (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe dewinteri is at once distinguished by its stemless rosettes of grey-green to whitish green, spreading leaves, and 3-branched inflorescences bearing...

06 / 09 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Othonna quinquedentata

Othonna quinquedentata
Common names: Five-tooth baboon cabbage, heavenly daisy (Eng.); bobbejaankool (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

The five-tooth baboon cabbage, with its thick, light green, slightly fleshy leaves, looks inconspicuous at most times of the year but a few months after...

30 / 08 / 2021 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Nemesia leipoldtii

Nemesia leipoldtii
Common names: Karoo nemesia (Eng.); Karooleeubekkie (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A cheerful annual with white or purple flowers, to create a glistening carpet in your garden, from late winter to spring. This species is not well-known...

30 / 08 / 2021 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria pusilla

Ledebouria pusilla
Common names: Swazi African hyacinth (Eng.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This tiny bulb is the smallest of all the ledebourias in the world. Often with only one or two leaves per plant, this species is tiny in all respects....

23 / 08 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Haworthia cymbiformis var. setulifera

Haworthia cymbiformis var. setulifera
Common names: cliff haworthia (Eng.); krans-dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia cymbiformis var. setulifera is a dwarf, compact growing, cliff-hugger, consisting of dense clumps of numerous, small rosettes of sparingly toothed,...

23 / 08 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Haworthia cymbiformis var. ramosa

Haworthia cymbiformis var. ramosa
Common names: Keiskamma haworthia (Eng.); Keiskamma-dwergaalwyntjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Haworthia cymbiformis var. ramosa is a dwarf, cliff-hugger, with numerous small rosettes of light green, triangular-lanceolate, succulent leaves and a...

16 / 08 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pteronia incana

Pteronia incana
Common names: ash bush, blue bush, wild lavender bush (Eng.), asbos, asbossie, bloubos, laventelbossie, kraakbos (Afr.).
Family: Asteraceae

This unpalatable, aromatic, dwarf shrub with beautiful, dusty grey foliage and bright yellow flowers in spring and early summer, is one of the most widely...

16 / 08 / 2021 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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