Plants of the Week

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E.g., 23/12/2024
E.g., 23/12/2024

Dovyalis longispina

Dovyalis longispina
Common names: Coast Kei-apple (Eng), Kuskei-appel, Natalappelkoos (Afr.), umNyusa (isiZulu), imQokolo (isiXhoza)
Family: Salicaceae

‘The Dovyalis with the long spines’, that is how one can make sense of its botanical name. With its bright orange-red, edible fruits and very...

21 / 06 / 2021 | Mpho Mathalauga | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Dovyalis rhamnoides

Dovyalis rhamnoides showing spines and male flowers
Common names: common sourberry (Eng.); gewone suurbessie (Afr.); ukhamgwindi (Zulu); umqaqoba (Xhosa)
Family: Salicaceae

This is a spiny, evergreen shrub or tree bearing edible fruit. It is easily cultivated and attracts birds to the garden....

08 / 10 / 2012 | C Mudau | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Dovyalis zeyheri

Cythna Letty illustration in Flowering Plants of Africa.
Common names: wild apricot (E), wilde-appelkoos (A), umNyazuma (Z), umQokokolo (X), morethema (NS)
Family: Salicaceae

This is a tree with a most unusual and apparently unexplained feature. At certain times of the year the leaves emit a smell resembling that of carrion....

22 / 04 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Dracaena aletriformis

Dracaena aletriformis
Common names: large-leaved dragon tree; grootblaardrakeboom (Afr.)  
Family: Ruscaceae

The large-leaved dragon tree is a wonderful, showy foliage plant with large strap-shaped leaves in rosettes at the tips of the branches, ideal for shady...

10 / 02 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dracaena transvaalensis

Dracaena transvaalensis in flower at Botanical Society Conservatory Kirstenbosch
Common names: Wolkberg dragon tree (Engl.); Wolkbergdrakeboom, dolomiet-drakeboom (Afr.)
Family: Ruscaceae

Dracaena transvaalensis is a medium-sized, aloe-like tree. It has large, elongated, ascending leaves arranged in central rosettes. The large inflorescence...

16 / 02 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dracosciadium italae

Insect on D.italae
Family: Apiaceae

This little-known member of the carrot family from KwaZulu-Natal makes an unusual and interesting addition to indigenous gardens....

27 / 01 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Dregeochloa pumila

Dregeochloa pumila in its habitat. Note that the centre (inner canopy) of the plant is dead resulting in a circular outer canopy. Note the succulent leaves and compact growth.
Common names: Tom Thumb grass, Kleinduimpiegras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

The Tom Thumb grass (Dregeochloa pumila), a peculiar, little known grass from the coastal southern Namib Desert in South Africa and Namibia,...

02 / 02 / 2009 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drimia altissima

Drimia altissima
Common names: tall white squill (Eng.); jeukbol, maermanbol, maermanui (Afr.); lukhovu (Siswati), isiklenama, umahlokolosi, umgulube (isiZulu)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

If you are looking for one of those mass flowering, tall bulbs, this is the one....

25 / 07 / 2022 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Drimia filifolia

Flowers of Drimiaf filifolia
Common names: thread-leaf drimia (Eng.); gifbol (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Drimia filifolia is an attractive plant, flowering in spring up to early summer and is an asset to any garden. This article will provide some insight into...

10 / 11 / 2014 | James Deacon | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drimia loedolffiae

Drima loedolffiae
Common names: Kei drimia (Eng.); dassiekweek (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A small bulb which grows in dense clusters on riverine cliffs in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Easily grown from division and great for hanging baskets...

17 / 04 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drimia sphaerocephala

Drimia sphaerocephala, rounded flowerhead. Photo Garth Bushell
Common names: round-head drimia (Eng.); snotuintjie (Afr.); hlare-sa-noko (Sesotho).
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The phrase “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” is well expressed by the plant Drimia sphaerocephala. A bulbous plant wearing a rounded,...

04 / 07 / 2022 | Lesiba Papo | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Drosanthemum aasvoelbergense

Drosanthemum aasvoelbergense in flower
Common names: Aasvoelberg mesemb (Eng.); Aasvoelberg-douvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The Aasvoelberg mesemb is a rare endemic of the upper south-facing cliffs of the Aasvoelberg, north west of Willowmore in the Eastern Cape. The sprawling...

25 / 03 / 2024 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drosanthemum bicolor

Drosanthemum bicolor blooms
Common names: tweekleurporseleinbos (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

...

11 / 08 / 2008 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum floribundum

Drosanthemum floribundum
Common names: purple carpet (Eng.); perstapeit (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

This hardy perennial produces dazzling metallic purple flowers in spring each year....

31 / 03 / 2003 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum hallii

Drosanthemum hallii
Common names: None recorded
Family: Aizoaceae

Gardeners will welcome the bright yellow, showy flowers of Drosanthemum hallii . This shrubby perennial gives a lustrous display of flowers in early spring,...

29 / 04 / 2013 | Ricardo Riddles | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum longipes

Drosanthemum longipes
Common names: Biedouw drosanthemum (Eng.); biedouw-rankvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

A remarkable, summer dormant, scrambling, leaf succulent, with magenta-pink flowers in winter, re-sprouting annually in autumn, producing many stems from...

18 / 02 / 2019 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drosanthemum micans

In flower
Common names: Robertson vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Drosanthemum micans is a colourful spring flowering vygie (Afr.) that is a good choice for arid gardens across the country....

18 / 09 / 2006 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum speciosum

Drosanthemum speciosum
Common names: Worcester-Robertson vygie, Red ice-plant (Eng.), Bergvygie (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Brilliant, vibrant, stunning, barely describe this vygie, which is one of the plants that makes the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden in Worcester...

26 / 08 / 2002 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum striatum

Drosanthemum striatum flowers
Common names: ice plant (Eng.); bergygie, vleisbos, porseleinbos (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

An attractive hardy pink perennial vygie, ideal for most garden situations....

17 / 01 / 2011 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Drosanthemum thudichumii

Drosanthemum thudichumii  shrublet
Common names: Thudichum's vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Drosanthemum thudichumii is a hardy winter rainfall vygie (mesemb) with showy, yellow, iridescent flowers....

29 / 06 / 2009 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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