Plants of the Week

Leucosidea sericea

Common names: oldwood (Eng.); ouhout (Afr.); umtshitshi (Zulu); isidwadwa, umyityi (Xhosa); mosino (N. Sotho); munyonga-tshifumbu (Venda)

Family: Rosaceae

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10 / 06 / 2002 | Marc Stern | Walter Sisulu NBG

Diastella proteoides

Common names: Flats' Silkypuff

Family: Proteaceae

This dainty member of the protea family is threatened with extinction as its habitat disappears....

17 / 06 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dietes bicolor

Common names: yellow wild iris, peacock flower (Eng.); uintjie, poublom (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

With its unusual flowers, attractive shape and ease of cultivation, the yellow wild iris is a versatile garden plant....

17 / 06 / 2002 | Marc Stern | Walter Sisulu NBG

Diospyros whyteana

Common names: bladder-nut, blackbark (Eng.); swartbas (Afr.); mohlatsane (NS); munyavhili (V); umTenatane(X); uManzimane or umKahze(Z)

Family: Ebenaceae

This enticing little tree has so many wonderful features: dark green, strikingly glossy leaves; creamy fragrant flowers; unusual smooth, dark grey, almost...

24 / 06 / 2002 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Heteropyxis natalensis

Common names: Lavender Tree, Laventelboom (A), iNkunzi (Z)

Family: Heteropyxidaceae

This is an attractive small tree suitable for townhouse gardens....

24 / 06 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Sterculia murex

Common names: lowveld chestnut(E), laeveld kastaiing (A) umbhaba (Swazi), mohlatsane (N Sotho)

Family: Malvaceae

It is not only the beauty of the flowers that creates interest in this tree, but also the unique appearance of its fruit and the lovely, palmately compound...

01 / 07 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Strelitzia nicolai

Common names: Natal wild banana, (E); Natalse wildepiesang (A); isigude, igceba, inkamanga (Z); ikhamanga, isigude, isigceba (X).

Family: Strelitziaceae

This is a tall, striking foliage plant related to the well-known Crane Flower, Strelitzia reginae....

01 / 07 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Walter Sisulu NBG

Dimorphotheca sinuata

Common names: Namaqualand daisy, African daisy (Eng.); gousblom, jakkalsblom, botterblom, namakwalandse madeliefie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This showy annual creates sheets of brilliant orange when it flowers in Namaqualand in early spring, drawing visitors from near and far. This particularly...

08 / 07 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Kirstenbosch NBG

Helichrysum populifolium

Common names: Poplar helichrysum

Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum populifolium is a shade-loving shrub with very attractive grey foliage....

08 / 07 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Alberta magna

Common names: Natal flame bush (Eng), Breekhout (Afr) uMabophe, isiQalaba (Xhosa), iGibampondo, umCumane (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This is a very impressive indigenous shrub or tree, especially when in flower or fruit. Alberta magna is not only treasured by tree collectors and gardeners...

12 / 07 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Nemesia fruticans

Common names: Cape snapdragon, mauve nemesia (Eng.) leeubekkie, maagpynblommetjie, witleeubekkie, wildeleeubekkie (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

This dainty, long-flowering perennial is a charming addition to the summer garden, but what is commonly sold in nurseries as Nemesia fruticans may be due...

15 / 07 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Walter Sisulu NBG

Salvia aurea

Common names: golden sage, beach sage, dune sage, sand sage (Eng.); bruinsalie, sandsalie, strandsalie, geelblomsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Salvia aurea is an aromatic hardy shrub with unusually coloured flowers borne over a long period. It is fairly fast-growing, up to 2 m, and very attractive...

15 / 07 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cyrtanthus mackenii

Common names: ifafa Lily

Family: Amaryllidaceae

This charming, sweetly scented bulb is long-flowering and easy to cultivate. It belongs to the genus Cyrtanthus which contains many beautiful species.Cyrtanthus...

22 / 07 / 2002 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Jamesbrittenia grandiflora

Common names: Wild phlox (= Sutera grandiflora)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Many people want to know what this stunning plant is when they first see it....

22 / 07 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Agathosma mucronulata

Common names: prickly buchu (Eng.), stekelboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Agathosma mucronulata is an attractive evergreen aromatic shrub, belonging to the Rutaceae family. This family also includes the Cape chestnut, Calodendrum...

29 / 07 / 2002 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dorotheanthus bellidiformis

Common names: Buckbay-vygie, Livingstone Bokbayfig, Livingstone Daisy (Eng.); bokbaaivygie, sandvygie, skilpadkos, ysplant (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

See Cleretum bellidiforme ...

29 / 07 / 2002 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Kniphofia species

Common names: red-hot poker or torch lily (English), vuurpyl (Afrikaans)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Red-hot pokers are grown in temperate gardens around the world. Ranging in colour from reds, oranges through yellow to lime green and cream, numerous cultivars...

05 / 08 / 2002 | Marc Stern | Walter Sisulu NBG

Streptocarpus kentaniensis

Common names: Kentani streptocarpus

Family: Gesneriaceae

...

05 / 08 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloidendron dichotomum

Common names: quiver tree (Eng.); kokerboom (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

The quiver tree or Aloidendron dichotomum is probably the best known aloe found in South Africa and Namibia. Visitors to the Western Cape can see a ...

12 / 08 / 2002 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

Restio festuciformis

Common names: green grass-like restio (Eng.); groengrasriet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

...

12 / 08 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

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