Plants of the Week

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

Searsia erosa

Searsia erosa tree
Common names: Broom karee, Besembos
Family: Anacardiaceae

The Free State is a haven for many different plant species, one of the most interesting in the family Anacardiaceae being Searsia erosa and it grows well...

28 / 10 / 2002 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG
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Freylinia lanceolata

Freylinia lanceolata
Common names: honey bell-bush, honeybells (Eng.); heuningklokkiesbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

The honey bell-bush is a shrub or small tree with a charm all of its own, and attracts hosts of butterflies and other pollinators....

04 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Polygala fruticosa 'Southern Shores'

P.fruticosa 'Southern Shores'
Common names: 'Southern Shores' butterfly bush, heart-leaf polygala (Eng.); 'Southern Shores' ertjieblom (Afr.); ulopesi, ulapesi, umabalabala (Xho.); ithethe (Zul.
Family: Polygalaceae

Many people are familiar with the hardy coastal shrub, Polygala myrtifolia which is useful addition to indigenous gardens. Kirstenbosch staff...

04 / 11 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Buddleja auriculata

Flowers
Common names: Weeping Sage (Eng.), Treursalie (Afr.), Utile (isiXhosa)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Serruria aemula

Serruria aemula
Common names: strawberry spiderhead
Family: Proteaceae

Serruria aemula once occurred in huge stands on the Cape Flats near Cape Town from Milnerton to Rondebosch. Sadly this beautiful species has been reduced...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Athanasia dentata

Athanasia dentata
Common names: toothed-leaf athanasia (Eng.); geelblombos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Green and golden is the best way to describe Athanasia dentata....

18 / 11 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Olea europaea subsp. africana

Fruits of Olea europaea subsp, africana
Common names: wild olive, olienhout (Afr.), mohlware (NSotho, SSotho), umnquma (Zulu, Xhosa, Swati), mutlhwari (Venda), motlhware (Tswana)
Family: Oleaceae

...

18 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Asparagus densiflorus

Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'
Common names: asparagus fern, emerald fern, basket asparagus (Eng.); smaragsiervaring (Afr.); isiqobola, umgcagcazane, uvelabahleke (Zulu)
Family: Asparagaceae

Asparagus densiflorus is an extremely versatile perennial, evergreen plant that can be used as a groundcover or container plant in full sun or light...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pavetta gardeniifolia

Flowers of Pavetta gardeniifolia
Common names: Christmas bride's bush, Christmas bush, kersbruidsbos (Afr.)
Family: Rubiaceae

Masses of attractive creamy-white nectar-rich flowers hang from branches of glossy dark green foliage and their sweet fragrance fills the air at Christmas...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Kiggelaria africana

Kiggelaria africana
Common names: wild peach, wildeperske (Afr.), umKokoko (Xhosa), uMunwe (Zulu), Monepenepe (North Sotho), Lekgatsi (South Sotho), Muphatavhafu (Venda)
Family: Achariaceae

This widespread tree is said to attract lightning, but some people use it to protect their homes!...

02 / 12 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Mystacidium capense

Mystacidium capense
Common names: iphamba (Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

This delicate epiphytic orchid, a mini plant with maxi roots is covered in a mass of white flowers at the beginning of summer....

02 / 12 / 2002 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Ochna serrulata

Flowers of Ochna serrulata
Common names: Mickey Mouse bush, small-leaved plane, carnival bush (Eng.); fynblaarrooihout (Afr.); Umbomvane (Zulu); iliTye (Xhosa)
Family: Ochnaceae

This is certainly a shrub that every gardener should have in their garden, not only because of its beautiful yellow flowers, but also because of its attractive...

02 / 12 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kniphofia linearifolia

Kniphofia linearifolia
Common names: common marsh poker (Eng.); vuurpyl (Afr.); Icacane, Umathunga (Zulu)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This is an attractive plant, with showy greenish yellow to yellow flowers and long, narrow leaves. It is suited to temperate gardens where it forms a strong...

09 / 12 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Pelargonium zonale

Pelargonium zonale
Common names: horse-shoe pelargonium (Eng.); wildemalva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

The flowers of this strikingly beautiful species range from pure white to rose-pink and all shades of red. Combined with its decorative rounded foliage,...

09 / 12 / 2002 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Struthiola myrsinites

Struthiola myrsinites
Common names: Juffertjie-roer-by-die-nag (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

This is a delightful, slender shrub from the Cape flora, whose pale flowers scent the evening air. It is a member of the thyme family which is recognised...

09 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Kniphofia ensifolia

Kniphofia ensifolia
Common names: torch lily (Eng.); vuurpyl (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This torch lily is an attractive plant with erect, grey-green, deeply keeled leaves, forming large clumps with attractive white to greenish white or greenish...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Mimetes hottentoticus

Flowerhead of Mimetes hottentoticus
Common names: silver pagoda, Hottentotstompie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This is a beautiful shrub with silvery leaves and distinctive flowers. Mimetes can be easily distinguished from all other Proteaceae. The beauty...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phylica buxifolia

Phylica buxifolia
Common names: box-leaf phylica, box hard-leaf (Eng.); bukshardeblaar (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

This compact rounded shrub or small tree makes a good background or screening plant and should find a place in indigenous gardens near the coast, especially...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Pelargonium graveolens

Pelargonium graveleons
Common names: Rose-scented pelargonium, wildemalva
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium graveolens with its attractive, strongly rose-scented leaves and pinkish white flowers is an interesting addition to the mixed border, adding...

23 / 12 / 2002 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Psoralea pinnata

Psoralea pinnata
Common names: fountain bush (Eng.); fonteinbos, bloukeur, penwortel (Afr.); umHlonishwa (Zulu)
Family: Fabaceae

Psoralea pinnata is an erect shrub or small tree which grows up to 4 m high, with blue, lilac and white pea-shaped flowers which bloom from October...

23 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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