Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/12/2024

Polygala myrtifolia

Polygala myrtifolia
Common names: september bush (Eng.); septemberbossie, augustusbossie, blouertjie, langelede (Afr.); ulopesi, ulapesi, umabalabala (Xho.); uchwasha (Zul.)
Family: Polygalaceae

Polygala myrtifolia is a common, widespread pioneer shrub with pretty mauve flowers on and off throughout the year with a peak in spring, hence the names...

29 / 09 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia ciliata

Image of S. ciliata leaves
Common names: sour karee (Eng.); suurkaree (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia ciliata is one of the more modest members of this popular group of garden plants which hybridize easily. This species, like several others in the...

22 / 09 / 2003 | Shireen Harris | Free State NBG
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Coleonema album

Coleonema album
Common names: Cape May, white confetti bush (Eng.), aasbossie, klipboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

An aromatic evergreen shrub with masses of white flowers in winter and spring....

22 / 09 / 2003 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Nymphoides thunbergiana

Nymphoides thunbergiana
Common names: floating hearts (Eng.), geelwaterlelie (Afr.), marombodane (Venda)
Family: Menyanthaceae

This is a pretty, fast-growing, perennial water plant with flat, rounded, floating leaves, and delicate white and yellow flowers in summer. It makes a...

15 / 09 / 2003 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Nymphoides indica

Nymphoides thunbergiana

This species has been split into Nymphoides brevipedicellata and Nymphoides thunbergiana....

15 / 09 / 2003 | | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloiampelos ciliaris var. ciliaris

Aloiampelos ciliaris var.ciliaris
Common names: climbing aloe (Eng.); rank-aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloiampelos ciliaris var. ciliaris is a small, handsome, climbing aloe and one of the easiest to cultivate. It was previously called Aloe ciliaris...

15 / 09 / 2003 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kniphofia leucocephala

Kniphofia leucocephala
Family: Asphodelaceae

This delicate white wetland poker is so rare that it is now known from only one locality in KwaZulu-Natal, and does not even have a common name. Unless...

08 / 09 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Brabejum stellatifolium

Flowers of the wild almond
Common names: bitteramandel, wild almond, wilde-amandel, ghoeboontjie, ghoekoffie
Family: Proteaceae

This tree is famous in South Africa for being used to make Van Riebeeck's Hedge, the first formal boundary marker between the new Cape colony and the...

08 / 09 / 2003 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anemone knowltonia

 Unusual flowers resembling green buttercups
Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.); brandblare, katjiedrieblaar (Afr.)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This is a very handsome plant with unusual flowers resembling green buttercups, that does well in shady situations....

01 / 09 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gerbera aurantiaca

Gerbera aurantiaca
Common names: Hilton daisy
Family: Asteraceae

The Hilton daisy is a strikingly beautiful grassland plant that occurs around Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. The species is under considerable threat...

01 / 09 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Crocosmia aurea

Crocosmia aurea
Common names: falling stars, valentine flower, montbretia (Eng.); valentynsblom (Afr.); umlunge, udwendweni (Zulu)
Family: Iridaceae

This is a very attractive garden plant with a number of bright orange flowers in a full spike at the end of the flower stalk. The tall stalks make it desirable...

25 / 08 / 2003 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leucadendron levisanus

Leucadendron levisanus male in flower
Common names: Cape Flats conebush, spatula-leaf protea (Eng.); sandknoppiesbos (Afr.) Status: Endangered
Family: Proteaceae

This endangered member of the protea family was once common on the Cape Flats, but has been reduced by urban development to a few populations along road...

25 / 08 / 2003 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Virgilia

Virgilia divaricata
Common names: blossom tree, amaqua tree (Eng.); keurboom, amakwasboom (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Gardeners need not hesitate on the choice of tree if the keurboom is on the list; it is a beautiful tree, suitable for both the domestic garden and big...

18 / 08 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lampranthus haworthii

Flowers
Common names: purple vygie, ice plant, mesemb
Family: Aizoaceae

This is a tall, robust plant by vygie standards, with large, metallic pink, white or light purple flowers....

18 / 08 / 2003 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Combretum mossambicense

Flowers
Common names: knobbly creeper (Eng.); knoppiesklimop (Afr.)
Family: Combretaceae

Masses of lovely fluffy pink-white flowers are displayed on bare branches in early spring. Fragrant and resembling small powder puffs, they lure a variety...

11 / 08 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Adenandra uniflora

Adenandra uniflora
Common names: china flower, shepherd's delight (Eng.); Kommetjie teewater, bergskaapboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

...

11 / 08 / 2003 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kigelia africana

Flowers of Kigelia africana
Common names: sausage tree (Eng.); worsboom (Afr.); umVunguta, umFongothi (Zulu); Modukguhlu (North Sotho); Muvevha (Venda)
Family: Bignoniaceae

The sausage tree boasts long, open sprays of large, wrinkled, maroon or dark red trumpet-shaped flowers that are velvety on the inside and that virtually...

04 / 08 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Elegia equisetacea

Elegia equisetacea
Family: Restionaceae

This is an attractive reed-like plant with large, golden seed heads forming a bright patch in a garden where it will dance and whisper in the wind....

04 / 08 / 2003 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Tulista pumila

Tulista pumila
Common names: miniature aloe, pearl plant (Eng.); vratjiesaalwyn, kleinaalwyn, seepaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This water-wise, small aloe-like plant with warty white tubercles on the leaves makes a very interesting coffee table plant. It was previously known as...

28 / 07 / 2003 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Erica perspicua

Erica perspicua
Common names: Prince of Wales heath (Eng.); veerheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

The Kogelberg Biosphere is well known for its plant diversity, with ericas being plentiful, amongst them  Erica perspicua,  one of the most well...

28 / 07 / 2003 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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