Plants of the Week

Hermannia grandiflora

Common names: desert rose (Eng.); klokkiebos, heuningbossie, ouma-se-kappie (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

This striking species is as yet unknown in horticulture despite its alluring name, and is really worth growing as a pot plant, or in the garden or rock...

05 / 10 / 2009 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Moraea tripetala

Common names: blue tulp (Eng.); blou-uintjie, kleinuiltjie, bok-uintjie, riet-uintjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Moraea tripetala is tolerant of various environmental conditions; it is equally successful in the wetter Cape mountains and in the semi-arid areas of...

12 / 10 / 2009 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG

Moraea tulbaghensis

Common names: rooiflappie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

The spectacular orange or brick-red blooms of Moraea tulbaghensis appear in profusion from mid to late spring, yet are seldom seen in the wild,...

12 / 10 / 2009 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus sansibarica

Common names: Zanzibar fig, knobbly fig, wild fig (Eng.); knoppiesvy (Afr.); Inkokhokho (Swazi); Mohlapu (SN); Nhlampfu (TS); Mutamvu, Muuno, Muvumo, Mudzulatshinya

Family: Moraceae

This knobbly fig presents an imposing display with its spreading crown and bears enormous fruiting spurs along the stem....

19 / 10 / 2009 | Patrick Mtsweni | Lowveld NBG

Syncarpha argyropsis

Common names: white everlasting (Eng.); witsewejaartjie, beesoogsewejaartjie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Syncarpha argyropsis is a very attractive plant that grows well at Kirstenbosch and is a very promising horticultural plant for commercial use....

19 / 10 / 2009 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cyrtanthus obliquus

Common names: Knysna lily (Eng.); Knysnalelie (Afr.); Umathaga (IsiZulu)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Cyrtanthus obliquus is a very attractive evergreen species, with its large pendulous flowers and grey-green leaves. It would be a welcome addition...

26 / 10 / 2009 | Lufuno Konanani | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Diascia vigilis

Common names: twinspurs (Eng.); horingkies (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

26 / 10 / 2009 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dymondia margaretae

Common names: carpet daisy, silver carpet (Eng.); tapytmadeliefie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Dymondia margaretae is a one-of-a-kind, hardy, carpet-forming groundcover with a compact, neat habit and stunning blue-grey foliage. It is perfect for...

02 / 11 / 2009 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG

Lachenalia valeriae

Common names: viooltjie (Afrikaans)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia valeriae is a beautiful species from the coastal dunes of Namaqualand....

02 / 11 / 2009 | Hester Steyn | Pretoria NBG

Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Common names: star flower, yellow star (Eng.); sterblom, geelsterretjie, gifbol (Afr.); moli kharatsa, lotsane (S Sotho); inkomfe, inkomfe enkulu (Zulu), inongwe, i

Family: Hypoxidaceae

Hailed as`miracle muti' and `wonder potato', Hypoxis hemerocallidea has been very much in the limelight during the past two decades and is today...

09 / 11 / 2009 | Beate Hölscher | National Herbarium Pretoria

Leucospermum praecox

Common names: Mossel Bay pincushion; large tufted pincushion

Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum praecox flowers before most other pincushions and creates an eye-catching display from mid-autumn all through winter....

09 / 11 / 2009 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos aplanatus

Common names: Swazi north-east forest cycad (Eng.); Umphanga wehlathi (Zulu)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos aplanatus is a shade-loving cycad that closely resembles E. villosus. The leaflets of E. aplanatus, however, tend to be wider than those...

16 / 11 / 2009 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mondia whitei

Common names: White's ginger, tonic root (Eng.); mundondo, mudondo (Angola); mundondo, bondo, molo busio (Cissongo - Central African Republic); nlondo, kimbiolongwa

Family: Apocynaceae

Mondia whitei, White's ginger, is a truly versatile and magical African herb — widely used medicinally and an excellent garden subject...

16 / 11 / 2009 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | Pretoria NBG

Delosperma lydenbergense

Common names: Lydenburg vygie (Eng.); klipvygie, rotsvygie (Afr.)

Family: Mesembryanthemaceae

This flat-growing ground cover or small shrub with its purple flowers can take full sun and is an attractive plant for gardens in warmer climates....

23 / 11 / 2009 | K Bayloyi | Pretoria NBG

Gasteria rawlinsonii

Common names: Baviaanskloof cliff gasteria (Eng.); kransbeestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria rawlinsonii is a shrubby, aloe-like, succulent cliff hanger found only in the Baviaanskloof of the Eastern Cape Province. It is the only...

23 / 11 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gasteria glauca

Common names: Kouga River gasteria (Eng.); Kouga-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria glauca is a small aloe-like plant with highly succulent, glaucous (grey-green) leaves arranged in a dense rosette. It grows on cliff faces...

30 / 11 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucospermum conocarpodendron subsp. viridum

Common names: green tree pincushion, hairless tree pincushion, yellow pincushion (Eng.); groenkreupelhout, kreupelboom, goudboom, brandhoutboom (Afr.) (Previously k

Family: Proteaceae

The largest of the pincushion group of proteas, the green tree pincushion is absolutely spectacular when in flower. The large rounded bushes are then covered...

30 / 11 / 2009 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Leucospermum formosum

Common names: silver-leaf wheel-pincushion

Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum formosum has spectacular bright yellow spring flowers that look like a Catherine wheel firework frozen in mid spin. ...

07 / 12 / 2009 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pterolobium stellatum

Common names: red-wing (Eng.); rooivlerk (Afr.); gwambazi or luanakha (Tshivenda)

Family: Fabaceae

Pterolobium stellatum is a tall, scrambling or climbing shrub with woody rope-like stems....

07 / 12 / 2009 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Philenoptera violacea

Common names: apple-leaf (Eng.); appelblaar (Afr.); umBhandu, umPhanda, isiHomohomo (isiZulu)

Family: Fabaceae

The wood of this attractive, hard, frost-sensitive "rain-tree" makes a stunning ornamental display....

14 / 12 / 2009 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

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