Plants of the Week

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E.g., 14/01/2025
E.g., 14/01/2025

Agathosma gonaquensis

Agathosma gonaquensis
Common names: Gonaqua buchu (Eng.), Hottentotsboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

This leafy shrub is compact, low-growing and displays masses of white flowers during spring. The oil glands found on the leaves and fruit release a sweet...

11 / 09 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Afzelia quanzensis

Seeds of A. quanzensis Photo: G Nichols
Common names: pod mahogany, lucky bean tree ( Eng. ); peulmahonie (Afr.); iNkehli (Zulu); Mambakofi (Swahili)
Family: Fabaceae

Afzelia quanzensis is a very attractive, medium-sized, deciduous tree, with bright green leaves that turn to an attractive yellowish colour in autumn....

11 / 09 / 2006 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Moraea elegans

Moraea elegans
Common names: poutulp (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

The striking yellow and orange flowers with variable bold markings, and its extreme ease of cultivation make this elegant spring-flowering species an essential...

04 / 09 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Balanites maughamii subsp. maughamii

Butressed trunk and bark
Common names: torchwood (Eng.); groendoring (Afr.); umnunu (Sotho); nulu (Tswana)
Family: Zygophyllaceae

Balanites maughamii is not well known in South Africa. The older trees have an amazing, upright, deeply folded or buttressed trunk, that visually...

04 / 09 / 2006 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG
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Securidaca longepedunculata

Flowers
Common names: violet tree, fibre tree (Eng.); krinkhout , rooipeultjie, seepbasboom (Afr.); mpesu (tshiVenda); mmaba (Tswana), iphuphuma (isiZulu)
Family: Polygalaceae

Securidaca longepeduculata is a slender tree with beautiful flowers. It is a highly regarded medicinal and magical tree, especially by the vhaVenda people...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Mimusops caffra

Fruit of Mimusops caffra
Common names: coast red milkwood (Eng.); kusrooimelkboom, moepel (Afr.); umhayihayi amasethole-abomvu, umthunzi, umnweba waselwandle, umnole, umagayi, umkhakhayi (Z
Family: Sapotaceae

Gardeners looking for a tree suitable for coastal gardens with windy conditions should not look any further-this tree is a good choice, particularly for...

28 / 08 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea scolymocephala

Protea scolymocephala
Common names: thistle protea, thistle sugarbush, small green protea, scoly ( Eng. ); kleingroenroos, witskollie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Protea scolymocephala is a dainty shrub bearing abundant pink-tinged, creamy-green flowerheads in winter/spring, ideal for small gardens on the sandy...

21 / 08 / 2006 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ixia mostertii

Flowers of Ixia mostertii
Common names: there are no recorded common names for this plant. It is one of the extremely rare species in the genus Ixia and has not been well collected.
Family: Iridaceae

Rare and threatened species are always attractive to most people interested in plants. Ixia mostertii is a strikingly beautiful plant that is...

21 / 08 / 2006 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Sparaxis grandiflora subsp. grandiflora

Flower showing vertical anthers and style  to one side
Common names: Cape buttercup, sparaxis (Eng.); botterblom, ferweel, ferweeltjie, fluweeltjie, perskalkoentjie, perskalossie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Sparaxis grandiflora is indeed an attractive species and it is not surprising that it was introduced to Kew Gardens as early as 1758. However, as Du Plessis...

14 / 08 / 2006 | Caitlin Von Witt | CREW
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Encephalartos friderici-guilielmi

Cones emerging
Common names: white-haired cycad
Family: Zamiaceae

Although Encephalartos friderici-guilielmi experiences harsh growing conditions in its natural habitat, it is very adaptable to different climatic conditions....

14 / 08 / 2006 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica lowryensis

Erica lowryensis
Common names: Sir Lowry's Pass heath
Family: Ericaceae

Like so many jewels of the fynbos, one has to be prepared to walk and climb to view this pretty erica which grows on the mountain ranges of the Kogelberg...

07 / 08 / 2006 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Adenandra gummifera

Adenandra gummifera
Common names: Potberg china flower, gummy china flower (Eng.); Potberg-porseleinblom (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

A beautiful, aromatic, fynbos shrub with showy white porcelain-like flowers in winter and spring....

07 / 08 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Notobubon capense

Flowers attract insects
Common names: bush parsley ( Eng. ); bergseldery (Afr.)
Family: Apiaceae

Although it belongs to the family containing edible members such as the carrot, and the herbs fennel and dill, this particular species would not find its...

31 / 07 / 2006 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Lachenalia bulbifera

Lachenalia bulbifera
Common names: red lachenalia (Eng.); rooinaeltjie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

One of the most striking and robust members of this diverse group, Lachenalia bulbifera is an easily grown bulbous plant that really deserves...

31 / 07 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Struthiola ciliata

Flowers
Common names: evening gonna, lax gonna, the lady that passes by in the night (Eng.); stroopbossie, juffertjie-roer-by-die-nag, aandgonna, slapgonna (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

This pretty ericoid shrublet is common in the Western Cape and makes a rewarding garden plant as it flowers all year round. It produces slender plumes...

24 / 07 / 2006 | Tsepang Makholela | Pretoria NBG
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Agathosma glabrata

Agathosma glabrata
Common names: sand buchu, lemon-scented buchu (Eng.); sandboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

The bright mauve to purple flowers of Agathosma glabrata, commonly known as sand buchu, are an eye-catcher in any garden. Buchus are identified by the...

24 / 07 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Monochoria africana

Monochoria africana as painted by Gill Condy in Flowering Plants of Africa. Copyright Gill Condy
Common names: there are no known common names for this rather rare plant
Family: Pontederiaceae

Next time you go to the Kruger National Park, try to spot Monochoria africana, one of the most beautiful, rare, indigenous aquatic plants in...

17 / 07 / 2006 | R Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Leucadendron tinctum

Leucadendron tinctum display
Common names: spicy conebush ( Eng. ); toffie-appel (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

An attractive, scented, bushy shrub of the Proteaceae family, Leucadendron tinctum makes a delightful display in a fynbos garden....

17 / 07 / 2006 | Monique Twine | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea lepidocarpodendron

Protea Lepidocarpodendron on St James Peak
Common names: Black-bearded Protea, Black-bearded Sugarbush, Black Protea ( Eng. ), Swartbaardsuikerbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Not as eye-catching as many of its relatives, this lovely protea has hairy, black and cream-white flowerheads that peek out through the dense foliage like...

10 / 07 / 2006 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe falcata

Aloe falcata growing in habitat
Common names: Vanrhynsdorp aloe
Family: Asphodelaceae

...

10 / 07 / 2006 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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