Plants of the Week

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E.g., 10/12/2024

Ancylobotrys capensis

Climbing hooks and flowers at tip hooks
Common names: rock milk apricot, wild apricot, dwarf wild apricot, wild peach ( Eng. ); klipmelkappelkoos, wilde-appelkoos, wilde-perske (Afr.); morobe (Northern So
Family: Apocynaceae

The fragrant, hardy, indigenous wild apricot, Ancylobotrys capensis, is a good substitute for the Chinese jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) the scent of which...

10 / 10 / 2005 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Anemone fannini

Plant in flower
Common names: giant wild anemone (Eng.); syblom, groot anemoon (Afr.); umanzamnyama (Zulu)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This stately anemone with beautiful white flowers and large, velvety palmate leaves from the eastern grasslands of South Africa would be an asset to any...

07 / 11 / 2005 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anisodontea julii

Anisodontea julii
Common names: Drakensberg mallow, mountain mallow, African mallow (Eng.); bergroos (Afr.); letjeane-la-noka, llefeta (SS)
Family: Malvaceae

Anisodontea julii, valued for its quick growth, is a tall, graceful shrub with velvety, maple-like leaves and wonderful displays of large pink flowers...

21 / 03 / 2005 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anisodontea scabrosa

Anisodontea scabrosa flower and foliage
Common names: rough-leaf African mallow, sand rose, pink mallow, hairy mallow (Eng.); sandroos, pienk-kiesieblaar, harigemalva (Afr.)
Family: Malvaceae

Who can resist a bright cheerful shrub that flowers throughout the year? This mallow is ideally suited for home gardens being able to withstand coastal...

02 / 05 / 2011 | N Stoll | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Ansellia africana

Heavily spotten form Photo Martin von Flintel
Common names: leopard orchid (Eng.); luiperdorgidee (Afr.); imfeyenkawu(Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

...

24 / 11 / 2003 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anthocleista grandiflora

Flowers
Common names: forest fever tree, big-leaf fever tree, big leaf, forest big-leaf, cabbage tree, tobacco tree (Eng.); grootblaarboom, koorsboom, wildetabakboom (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

Anthocleista grandiflora is a striking tree with a tall straight trunk topped with a crown of huge leaves. It needs a warm, sunny garden with plenty of...

10 / 03 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Antithrixia flavicoma

Antithrixia flavicoma shrub
Common names: None known
Family: Asteraceae

Antithrixia flavicoma is a beautiful but little-known shrub. With its large yellow flower heads and silvery-grey leaves it is immediately noticeable...

01 / 02 / 2010 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Apodytes dimidiata subsp.dimidiata

Apodytes dimidiata
Common names: white pear, bird's eye (Eng.); witpeer (Afr.); umdakane (Xhosa); umdagane (Zulu); umdzagame (Swati) sephopha-madi, kgalagangwê (N. Sotho), tshiphopha
Family: Icacinaceae

Apodytes dimidiata is the ideal tree for the home garden as it does not have messy fruits and is safe to plant near the house, not disturbing the...

28 / 04 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aponogeton distachyos

Waterblommetjies in Kirstenbosch
Common names: Cape pondweed, water onion, water asparagus (Eng.); waterblommetjie, vleikos, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

This is a well known local delicacy for the cold winter months. It has become so popular that many commercial plantings have been made in ponds around...

06 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aptenia cordifolia

Aptenia cordifolia
Common names: baby sun rose, red aptenia (Eng.); rooi brakvygie, brakvygie (Afr.); Ibohlololo, uncolozi omncane (Zulu)
Family: Aizoaceae

The glossy succulent leaves and bright magenta pink flowers are distinctive characteristics of Aptenia cordifolia. It is a well-known groundcover or creeping...

05 / 01 / 2009 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aptosimum procumbens

Aptosimum procumbens
Common names: carpet flower, Karoo violet (Eng.); kankerbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

An ideal water-wise ground-cover plant for dry gardens, Aptosimum procumbens is one of the treasures of the arid and semi-arid parts of South Africa....

01 / 01 / 2003 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Arctopus echinatus

A. echinatus female plant Photo A. Magee
Common names: flat-thorn (Eng.); platdoring, pokkiesdoring, sieketroos (Afr.)
Family: Apiaceae

Arctopus echinatus is an easily recognizable, flat-growing, spiny-leaved geophyte. It is an important South African medicinal plant with a long history...

08 / 02 / 2010 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium
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Arctotis fastuosa

Orange form of A.fastuosa
Common names: Namaqualand arctotis, Iceland daisy, Namaqua marigold, double Namaqualand daisy (Eng.); Namakwagousblom, bittergousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis fastuosa with large colourful flowers, is an easy-to-grow annual from the dry Namaqualand region....

11 / 12 / 2006 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotheca populifolia

Flowers
Common names: beach pumpkin (Eng.); seepampoen, tonteldoek (blom), strandgousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotheca populifolia is a 'beach bum'! It is a common pioneer along the southern African coast. Have a look next time you are on the beach and...

19 / 02 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Arctotis acaulis

Arctotis acaulis flower - orange with black spots
Common names: renoster arctotis, renoster marigold (Eng.), renostergousblom, tonteldoekblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis acaulis is a fast-growing perennial that is best grown as an annual, with large orange, yellow, salmon or cream daisies in spring and early...

29 / 09 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis arctotoides

Arctotis arctotoides
Common names: botterblom (Afrikaans), putswa-pududu (South Sotho), ubushwa (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis arctotoides is a fast-growing, soft, herbaceous groundcover that forms carpets of light green foliage decorated with cheerful, butter-yellow daisy...

19 / 08 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis hirsuta

Arctotis hirsuta flowers
Common names: Namaqua marigold (Eng.), Namakwagousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Bold and beautiful, the mesmerizing Arctotis hirsuta is one of the most captivating species in an annual spring display....

10 / 10 / 2011 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis stoechadifolia

Flowers
Common names: coast arctotis, silver arctotis, trailing arctotis (Eng.); kusgousblom, bittergousblom, witgousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A tough and fast-growing groundcover often seen in gardens around the world, Arctotis stoechadifolia surprisingly only occurs naturally along a small strip...

05 / 12 / 2005 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis venusta

Arctotis venusta
Common names: Karoo marigold (Eng.); Karoo gousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis venusta is one of the few indigenous annuals that are easy to grow and provide a reliable, colourful display in summer....

06 / 02 / 2006 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Argyrolobium lunare

Argyrolobium lunare
Common names: None
Family: Fabaceae

At first glance it looks as if there are two similar kinds of plant growing together. This is because most of the flowers are bright yellow and others...

23 / 07 / 2012 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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