Plants of the Week

Browse through all previous entries of Plants Of The Week

  • Sort by date added
  • Sort Alphabetically
Go to Plants of the Week Advanced Search
E.g., 22/12/2024
E.g., 22/12/2024

Viscum crassulae

Viscum crassulae in fruit
Common names: Spekboom mistletoe, Spekboom-voelent
Family: Santalaceae

Viscum crassulae is a rounded, succulent shrublet growing as a parasite on branches of Portulacaria afra (spekboom). It is easily grown by placing its...

01 / 12 / 2013 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Ledebouria zebrina

Ledebouria zebrina
Common names: giant false scilla; giant African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This large attractive bulbous plant is the largest of all the ledebourias, the handsome broad leaves which are often marked with dark purple-brown...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
Read More

Hyperacanthus amoenus

Hyperacanthus amoenus.Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: Thorny gardenia (Eng.); Doringkatjiepiering (Afr.); Murombe (Tshivenda); Bembethu (Sesotho); isibhembedu, umbambangwe, umthembezwana (isiZulu); isende
Family: Rubiaceae

This shrub or small tree with its glossy green foliage and pretty flowers is an attractive option for gardeners looking to expand their collection of indigenous...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
Read More

Streptocarpus dunnii

Streptocarpus dunnii . Image M Lotter
Common names: red nodding bells Cape primrose (Eng.); olifantsoor (Afr.)
Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus dunnii is a star in its own right. Its bright orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers render it beautiful and exceptional, as most Streptocarpus...

18 / 11 / 2013 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Myrothamnus flabellifolius

Leaves. Image A dreyer
Common names: resurrection plant (Eng.); opstandingsplant (Afr.); uvukakwabafile (isiZulu); umazifisi (Ndebele)
Family: Myrothamnaceae

The leaves of the resurrection plant shrink and appear to be dead in the dry season, but miraculously turn green within a few minutes after exposure to...

18 / 11 / 2013 | Mandisa Kondlo | Walter Sisulu NBG
Read More

Lobelia jasionoides

Flowers
Common names: No well known common name.
Family: Lobeliaceae

This charming, herbaceous, perennial groundcover with masses of tiny lilac and white flowers is suited to light shady places but will also grow in full...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
Read More

Crinum macowanii

Crinum macowanii
Common names: river crinum, river lily, common vlei-lily, Sabie crinum, Cape coast lily (Eng.); rivierlelie, boslelie, Sabielelie (Afr.); intelezi (isiXhosa); umduz
Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Senecio speciosissimus

Senecio speciosissimus flowers
Common names: none
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio speciosissimus boasts attractive flower heads of pink to mauve flowers from July to December, although it seems to flower more abundantly during...

03 / 11 / 2013 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
Read More

Erica halicacaba

Growing amonst the rocks
Common names: bladder-heath, gooseberry heath
Family: Ericaceae

Erica halicacaba is a unique species with no close relatives in the genus Erica. It is notable for its unusual growth form, its particular niche...

03 / 11 / 2013 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Saltera sarcocolla

Flowers with ruptured pollen sacs
Common names: saltera, Cape fellwort, vlieëbos
Family: Penaeaceae

Saltera sarcocolla belongs to the Penaeaceae, which is a family confined to the fynbos region. Despite interesting variations in plant and flower...

28 / 10 / 2013 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Empodium elongatum

Empodium elongatum (David Styles)
Common names: autumn star
Family: Hypoxidaceae

Autumn stars, elusive among grasses, are spotted by their bright yellow starry flowers....

28 / 10 / 2013 | N Mahvungu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
Read More

Syncarpha vestita

In flower Photo Colin Paterson- Jones
Common names: cape snow, white everlasting (Eng.); witsewejaartjie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

At the height of its flowering, this relatively short-lived, woolly shrublet forms masses of beautiful white flowerheads that shine in the bright light...

21 / 10 / 2013 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
Read More

Nephrotheca ilicifolia

Flower,  buds  and leaves.  Photo Tony Rebelo
Common names: None recorded
Family: Asteraceae

This aromatic shrub is a good addition to a fynbos garden....

21 / 10 / 2013 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Othonna dentata

In flower
Common names: toothed othonna
Family: Asteraceae

This blue-grey succulent shrublet is ideally suited to coastal gardens and deserves to be more popular with gardeners....

14 / 10 / 2013 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Gerbera galpinii

Flowering in habitat
Common names: marsh gerbera
Family: Asteraceae

Most Gerberas occur in grasslands, a few species are found in forests, while this one is unusual in that it is found in marshy places. Wherever they are...

14 / 10 / 2013 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
Read More

Gladiolus caryophyllaceus

Flowers of G.caryophyllaceus
Common names: Pink Afrikander (Eng.); Pienkafrikaner, Sandveldlelie, Sandpypie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus caryophyllaceus is a robust and beautiful pink-flowered cormous plant with a heady perfume reminiscent of cloves and carnations. It makes...

07 / 10 / 2013 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Cyrtanthus ventricosus

Flowers. Photo Colin Paterson Jones
Common names: fire lily; brandlelie (Afrikaans)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This plant, a true fire lily, defies the elements by producing its beautiful, salmon to scarlet blooms just nine days after the seemingly destructive effects...

07 / 10 / 2013 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
Read More

Tulbaghia simmleri

Tulbaghia simmleri
Common names: sweet wild garlic, sweet garlic, fragrant tulbaghia (Eng.); soetwildeknoffel, aandblommetjie (Afr.)
Family: Alliaceae

Tulbaghia simmleri is a desirable and rewarding garden plant, with decorative and sweetly fragrant flowers, and it is easy to grow....

30 / 09 / 2013 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
Read More

Silene undulata

Silene undulata © Tony Dold
Common names: dream root, gun powder plant, campion (Eng.); unozitholana, ubulawu, undlela zimhlophe (isiXhosa); kleinwildetabak (Afr.)
Family: Caryophyllaceae

This small herb is used as a 'dream plant'....

30 / 09 / 2013 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW
Read More

Plectranthus ciliatus

PLectranthus ciliatus
Common names: speckled spur-flower, eyelash spur-flower, white wild sage; gespikkelde muishondblaar, wimperspoorsalie (Afr.); lephele-phele (Sesotho); umsuthuza (is
Family: Lamiaceae

With its attractive white to light purple-pink flowers and ornamental foliage, this species is a pleasure for any moist subtropical garden, ideal for hanging...

23 / 09 / 2013 | B Busch | National Herbarium Pretoria
Read More