Plants of the Week

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E.g., 21/12/2024
E.g., 21/12/2024

Ledebouria cremnophila

Ledebouria cremnophila growing in habitat. (Mervyn Lӧtter)
Common names: krantz African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A rare species restricted to the mountainous areas of the Barberton region in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, where it prefers to grow on steep...

02 / 04 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Othonna perfoliata

Othonna perfoliata (John Manning)
Common names: trailing othonna (Eng.); bobbejaankoolklimop (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

An Othonna with striking yellow flowers, found lurking among tall vegetation, to brighten your garden in the cold winter days....

09 / 04 / 2018 | Luvo Magoswana | Compton Herbarium
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Trimeria grandifolia subsp. grandifolia

Trimeria grandifolia subsp. grandifolia, new growth.
Common names: wild-mulberry, big ears, big-leaf trimeria (Eng.); grootblaarwildemoerbei, grootblaarysterhout, wildemoerbei, lindeboom (Afr.); idlebe-lendlovu, igqab
Family: Salicaceae

This is a fast-growing, small to medium-sized, single stemmed tree, with decorative foliage that truly resembles the forest raisin tree, as well as the...

09 / 04 / 2018 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lobelia pubescens

Lobelia pubescens
Common names: rock lobelia
Family: Lobeliaceae

This low-growing, bushy perennial, occurring near the coast, flowers from late spring to autumn. It will make a showy container plant, a lovely addition...

16 / 04 / 2018 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’

Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’ growing in Kirstenbosch.
Common names: cat's tail asparagus (Eng.); katstert (Afr.); also known under a few variations or misspelling of its cultivar name, such as: ‘Myers’, Asparagus m
Family: Asparagaceae

Striking ornamental perennial with compactly clustered foliage on arched fronds resembling cat’s tails. Tiny, white, fragrant, star-like flowers...

16 / 04 / 2018 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Plectranthus lucidus

Plectranthus lucidus
Common names: shiny spurflower (Eng.); blinkblaar spoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

A fast-growing, resilient, shade-loving groundcover, recommended for coastal gardens....

23 / 04 / 2018 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Rhynchosia hirta

Rhynchosia hirta
Common names: blue-seeded snoutbean, hairy snoutbean (Eng.); imbelekisani, iyezalesisu (Xho.)
Family: Fabaceae

A lovely indigenous vine with attractive blue seeds; an alternative to gardeners over exotics....

23 / 04 / 2018 | Thulisile P. Jaca | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Adenia spinosa

Adenia spinosa
Common names: spiny greenstem, elephant’s foot (Eng.); tshivhuyu-dumbu (Tshivenda)
Family: Passifloraceae

In the far north of South Africa grows a very special, ancient-looking plant with a stem resembling an elephant’s foot. In our neighbouring country,...

30 / 04 / 2018 | Livhuwani Auldrean Nkuna | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Coleus venteri

Coleus venteri
Common names: Sekukuni coleus (Eng.); sekoekoeniesalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

A relatively new species to horticulture, Coleus venteri is a unique, aromatic, sun-loving, water-wise shrub that is fast growing once established and...

30 / 04 / 2018 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica irregularis

Erica irregularis, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve.
Common names: Gansbaai heath
Family: Ericaceae

A very special and beautiful plant that only occurs naturally in one place in the whole world. During the winter months, it transforms the landscape around...

07 / 05 / 2018 | Victoria Wilman | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Diosma aristata

Diosma aristata (A.L. Schutte-Vlok)
Common names: Mossel Bay buchu, spear-leaf diosma
Family: Rutaceae

Diosma aristata is without a doubt the most threatened species in this enigmatic genus of plants. Buchus are well known for their medicinal qualities,...

07 / 05 / 2018 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Brachylaena rotundata

Brachylaena rotundata
Common names: mountain silver-oak, Transvaal silver-tree (Eng.); bergvaalbos, bergvaalboom (Afr.); moswane (Tsw)
Family: Asteraceae

This tree is ideal for small to medium-sized gardens. It produces yellow, thistle-like flowers in spring and has eye-catching, silver-grey leaves, that...

14 / 05 / 2018 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Setaria verticillata

Setaria verticillata
Common names: bristly foxtail grass, bur bristlegrass, cat’s tails, klits setaria, love grass (Eng.); kat(te)stert(gras), klawergras, kleefgras, klitsgras, steekg
Family: Poaceae

Setaria verticillata is a species of grass known by the common name, bur bristlegrass. It is easily distinguished from other Setaria species by retrorsely...

14 / 05 / 2018 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Cotyledon egglii

Cotyledon egglii
Common names: Barberton pig’s ears (Eng.); Barberton-plakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

A recently named succulent shrublet, recognized by its wedge-shaped (cuneiform), green leaves, sparsely beset with glandular hairs and bearing tubular,...

21 / 05 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Schistostephium rotundifolium

Schistostephium rotundifolium
Common names: round-leaf flat-flower (Eng.); imadliwazimbuzi (Zul.)
Family: Asteraceae

A bushy shrub with decorative foliage and attractive yellow flowerheads in autumn to winter, suitable for sun or semi-shade....

21 / 05 / 2018 | Samuel Lekhetho | Free State NBG
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Kniphofia acraea

Kniphofia acraea
Common names: highlands poker
Family: Asphodelaceae

A rare, small Kniphofia that is endemic to South Africa, only known from two areas high in the mountains of the Eastern Cape Province, near Cradock and...

28 / 05 / 2018 | Ntuthuko Mabuya | Pretoria NBG
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Paranomus longicaulis

Paranomus longicaulis
Common names: woolly sceptre, exploding baked apple (Eng.); poppiesbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Densely white-woolly, pink and brown flowerheads, forming a short bottlebrush on a long, flowering branch, in spring to summer, with unusual foliage, bearing...

28 / 05 / 2018 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dalbergia armata

Dalbergia armata (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: thorny-rope, flat-bean, Hluhluwe climber (Eng.); doringtou (Afr.); umhluhluwe, uthathawe (isiZulu); omqokolo, ubobo, umzungulu (isiXhosa); sehlokootsw
Family: Fabaceae

Dalbergia armata has attractive acacia-like leaves and makes an excellent bonsai tree. It is a rather distinct climber, with stout thorns and it is a member...

04 / 06 / 2018 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe lineata var. muiri

Aloe lineata var. muirii
Common names: Muir's striped aloe (Eng.); streepaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe lineata var. muiri is an attractive and rewarding garden plant. Its striking yellowish green leaves and tall flower spikes will give much needed contrast...

04 / 06 / 2018 | Ricardo Riddles | Karoo Desert NBG
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Arctotis aspera

Arctotis aspera
Common names: rough arctotis (Eng.); taaigousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

A tough, soft-wooded perennial from the mountainous and coastal fynbos areas that flowers for the most part of the year. Once established, it hardly needs...

11 / 06 / 2018 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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