Plants of the Week

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E.g., 12/11/2024
E.g., 12/11/2024

Aloe peglerae

Aloe peglerae
Common names: Vuurpylaalwyn
Family: Asphodelaceae
18 / 02 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe mitriformis

Aloe mitriformis
Common names: mitre aloe (Eng.); krans aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

There are not many aloes from the Cape that flower during summer, hence those that do are more sought after. Those of you who love gardening with bright...

11 / 07 / 2005 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe pictifolia

Aloe pictifolia growing at Kirstenbosch NBG
Common names: Kouga -aalwyn (Afr.), Kouga aloe (Eng.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

An attractive small aloe with greyish-green leaves ornamented with many white spots. It is easily grown and popular in cultivation....

28 / 07 / 2008 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloidendron pillansii

Stems leaves and old inflorescences
Common names: giant quiver tree, bastard quiver tree (Eng.); reuse kokerboom, baster-kokerboom (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloidendron pillansii is arguably the scarcest of all tree aloes in southern Africa.  It was previously called Aloe pillansii, however a new genus...

24 / 02 / 2014 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe pluridens

Aloe pluridens
Common names: French aloe (Eng.), Fransaalwyn, garaa (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

...

09 / 07 / 2001 | Alice Notten | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe polyphylla

Aloe polyphylla
Common names: spiral aloe (English); kroonaalwyn (Afrikaans); lekhala kharatsa (seSotho)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe polyphylla is a rare and beautiful aloe from the high Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. It does not occur naturally anywhere outside Lesotho with the exception...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe reitzii var. reitzii

Aloe reitzii var. reitzii
Common names: Reitz' aloe
Family: Asphodelaceae

Although it is a rather rare species of aloe, it is easily distinguished by the handsome erect red flower spikes that are produced in summer (unlike most...

12 / 03 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe speciosa

Aloe speciosa flower heads
Common names: tilt-head aloe (Eng.); spaansaalwyn, slaphoringaalwyn (Afr.); ikhala (Xhosa)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe speciosa is a handsome plant having decorative blue-green leaves with deep pink to pale red, serrated leaf margins, and dense cylindrical flower...

06 / 08 / 2007 | Lusindiso Xulubana | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe striata

Aloe striata
Common names: Coral Aloe (English); Blouaalwyn (Afrikaans)
Family: Asphodelaceae

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30 / 07 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe komaggasensis

Aloe komaggasensis
Common names: Komaggas coral aloe (Eng.); makaalwyn, streepaalwyn, gladdeblaaraalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

 This aloe was previously known as Aloe striata subsp. komaggasensis.  It is relatively new to science and not established at all in horticulture...

18 / 07 / 2011 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aloe succotrina

Aloe succotrina, growing in Kirstenbosch
Common names: fynbos aloe, mountain aloe (Eng.); bergaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Growing high up on the cliff faces and rocky outcrops in the mountains of the Western Cape, this is one of only a few fynbos aloes. It is an attractive...

19 / 12 / 2016 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Harold Porter NBG
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Aloiampelos tenuior

Aloiampelos tenuior var. rubriflora, Kirstenbosch NBG
Common names: fence aloe, slender aloe (Eng.); heiningaalwyn (Afr.); ikhalana, ikalene, intelezi, impapane, umjinqa, umkrakrane (isiXhosa); inhlaba, inhlaba empofu
Family: Asphodelaceae

This rambling aloe forms large clumps topped with masses of delicate, yellow or red flowerheads in summer, and is a useful and undemanding landscape plant....

22 / 02 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe thompsoniae

Aloe thompsoniae in a hanging baskets
Common names: Wolkberg cliff aloe (Eng.), Wolkberg krans-aalwyn (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

...

04 / 05 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe verecunda

Aloe verecunda
Common names: rand grass aloe, witwatersrand grass aloe (Eng.); randgrasaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe verecunda, with its striking orange-red flowers and grasslike leaves, is an attractive deciduous grassland aloe....

24 / 12 / 2001 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Aloe zebrina

Aloe zebrina plant
Common names: zebra leaf aloe, spotted aloe (Eng.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Imagine creating a breathtaking desertscape of rocks and pebbles and incorporating patches of Aloe zebrina in your illusion. This aloe is a sure must...

24 / 01 / 2011 | Hildegard Witbooi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Amaryllis belladonna

Amaryllis belladonna
Common names: belladonna lily, March lily, naked lady (Eng.); Maartblom, Maartlelie, belladonnalelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The flowering stems of this bulb emerging from the bare ground is a sign that summer is coming to an end in the Cape....

12 / 03 / 2001 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllis belladonna: Photo C Paterson-Jones
Common names: amaryllis or daffodil family
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Consisting mostly of bulbous plants, this family occurs naturally throughout the tropics and warm temperate regions of the world. Many species have extravagantly...

10 / 05 / 2004 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
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Ammocharis longifolia

Ammocharis longifolia
Common names: Malgas lily (Eng.); seeroogblom (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The name Malgas lily is taken from the abundance of this bulb in the Malgas area near the Breede River in the Cape. It is one of South Africa's showiest...

16 / 08 / 2004 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Anastrabe integerrima

Photo copyright Geoff Nichol
Common names: pambati tree (Eng.); isipambatihout , pambatihout , pambatieboom (Afr.); isiBhembedu, isiNqunjana (Z); isiPambatho (Z, X)
Family: Stilbaceae

With its clusters of custard-yellow pouch-shaped flowers combined with very attractive leaves that contrast their dark green tops with silvery white and...

24 / 12 / 2012 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anchusa capensis

Anchusa capensis
Common names: Cape-forget-me-not, anchusa (Eng.); vergeetmynietjie, ystergras, koringblom, ossetongblaar (Afr.); petlekheme (Sesotho)
Family: Boraginaceae

The Cape-forget-me-not is easy to find flowering in the fields of daisies throughout Namaqualand in the spring, and, although it may be a bit weedy, its...

22 / 08 / 2016 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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