Plants of the Week

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E.g., 13/10/2024
E.g., 13/10/2024

Bulbine frutescens

Bulbine frutescens. Photo: G Nichols
Common names: stalked bulbine, snake flower, cat's tail, burn jelly plant (Eng.); balsem kopieva, geelkatstert (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This is a popular, waterwise garden plant, especially when planted en masse as a ground cover, or in rock gardens. It is also cultivated for its medicinal...

22 / 03 / 2004 | Shireen Harris | Free State NBG
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Bulbinella

B.nutans near Nieuwoudtville
Common names: bulbinella (Eng.); katstert (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The genus Bulbinella includes 18 species occurring in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa and an additional six species from...

19 / 03 / 2012 | S Boatwright | Compton Herbarium
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Bulbine pendens

Growing in habitat Paradyskloof in spring.
Common names: bootlace bulbine (Eng.); skoenveter kopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This is a dwarf, summer-deciduous succulent with drooping, string-like leaves and ascending yellow flowers from cliffs in northern Namaqualand and the...

09 / 09 / 2013 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine latifolia

Bulbine latifolia
Common names: broad-leaved bulbine (Eng.); rooiwortel, geelkopieva (Afr.); incelwane (isiXhosa), ibhucu (isiZulu)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine latifolia is one of the largest species in the genus. It can be identified by its aloe-like growth, but with an absence of marginal teeth on the...

15 / 08 / 2005 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine narcissifolia

Plant showing leaves and flowers
Common names: strap-leaved bulbine, snake flower (Eng.); lintblaar bulbine, geelslangkop, wildekopieva (Afr.); khomo-ea-balisa, serelelile (Southern Sotho)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The grey-green, laxly twisted leaves and compact inflorescence of yellow flowers and white bracts covering the flower buds, make the strap-leaved bulbine, Bulbine...

05 / 11 / 2007 | Ronell R. Klopper | Biosystematics
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Burchellia bubalina

Burchellia bubalina
Common names: wild pomegranate (Eng.); wildegranaat (Afr.); iThobankomo (X), isiGolwane (Z); maHlosana (Sw)
Family: Rubiaceae

The wild pomegranate is an attractive ornamental shrub/tree that is also used to attract nectar-feeding birds. The combination of its bright red flowers...

14 / 02 / 2005 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Burkea africana

Burkea africana tree
Common names: wild seringa (Eng.); wildesering (Afr.); mpulu (Tsonga), monato (Tswana); monatô (Northern Sotho); mufhulu (Venda)
Family: Fabaceae

An attractive, medium-sized, flat-topped tree, difficult to grow and not yet produced on a commercial scale....

25 / 01 / 2010 | T.T. Masupa | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Buxus macowanii

Buxus macowanii
Common names: African box, Cape box, small-leaved box (Eng.), buig-my-nie, Afrikaansebuksboom, Kaapsebuksboom, kleinblaarbuksboom (Afr.), igalagala (isiXhosa), umga
Family: Buxaceae

A small, very slow-growing tree with a clean slender stem and a dense crown of shiny green leaves; it is a good pot plant, can be clipped and trained into...

06 / 05 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Barleria ovata

Flower
Common names: grassland barleria (Eng.); iningizimebomvu (isiZulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

This barleria has pretty flowers which change colour and it resprouts from a woody rootstock after fire....

25 / 08 / 2014 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Barleria bremekampii

Flowers of barleria bremekampii
Common names: hedgehog barleria (Eng.)
Family: Acanthaceae

If you are looking for a water-wise prickly  hedge or barrier plant, Barleria bremkampii is your answer....

23 / 03 / 2015 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Bulbinella eburniflora

Flowers of Bulbinella eburniflora
Common names: bleekkatstert (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbinella eburniflora is a vulnerable species from the Bokkeveld Plateau, threatened with habitat loss due to ploughing and livestock grazing....

30 / 03 / 2015 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG
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Barleria monticola

Barleria monticola in flower
Common names: mountain barleria (Eng.); berg barleria (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

This is a lovely groundcover for a sunny spot in your garden, especially if you live in a frosty area....

06 / 04 / 2015 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Becium obovatum

See Ocimum obovatum...

04 / 07 / 2005 | | Lowveld NBG
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Brunia albiflora

See Berzelia albiflora...

24 / 04 / 2004 | | Lowveld NBG
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Brunia stokoei

See Berzelia stokoei...

06 / 08 / 2007 | | Lowveld NBG
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Berchemia discolor

Berchemia discolor (Brian KD2, iSpot)
Common names: birdplum, brown ivory (Eng.); bruinivoor, voëlpruim (Afr.); mogokgomo (Sepedi); nyiyi, nyiri (Xitsonga); motsintsila (Setswana); munie (Tshivenda), n
Family: Rhamnaceae

Birdplum or brown ivory is an attractive garden tree, with tough, yellow-brown wood that makes excellent furniture and sticks. Berchemia discolor is also...

29 / 02 / 2016 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis

Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis
Common names: Albertina Sisulu Orchid
Family: Orchidaceae

This beautiful and enigmatic orchid was first recorded in 1918; it was last seen in the Gauteng Province in 1956, until its rediscovery in 2007. This species...

04 / 04 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Barleria matopensis

Barleria matopensis
Common names: Matopos barleria (Eng.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria matopensis is an attractive shrub, for a sunny, water-wise garden....

11 / 04 / 2016 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Buxus natalensis

Buxus natalensis
Common names: large-leaved box, Natal box, box-wattle (Eng.); grootblaarbuksboom, Natalsebuksboom (Afr.); umgalagala, isixesa, umngquzu (isiXhosa); igudlangulubi, u
Family: Buxaceae

This much-branched shrub to small tree is characterized by its glossy, leathery, dark green leaves that make it most outstanding amongst the rest of the...

27 / 06 / 2016 | Zama Sibisi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Blighia unijugata

Clusers of bright pink to red, leathery, pear-shaped capsules.
Common names: triangle-tops (Eng.); driehoektolletjies (Afr.); musadema (Shona); umdlaguva (isiZulu)
Family: Sapindaceae

A medium to large evergreen tree, with sweetly scented flowers that attract butterflies to the garden, followed by pink to red, pear-shaped fruit that...

11 / 07 / 2016 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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