Plants of the Week

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

Ansellia africana

Heavily spotten form Photo Martin von Flintel
Common names: leopard orchid (Eng.); luiperdorgidee (Afr.); imfeyenkawu(Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

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24 / 11 / 2003 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anthocleista grandiflora

Flowers
Common names: forest fever tree, big-leaf fever tree, big leaf, forest big-leaf, cabbage tree, tobacco tree (Eng.); grootblaarboom, koorsboom, wildetabakboom (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

Anthocleista grandiflora is a striking tree with a tall straight trunk topped with a crown of huge leaves. It needs a warm, sunny garden with plenty of...

10 / 03 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anthospermum spathulatum subsp. spathulatum

Anthospermum spathulatum
Common names: spoon flowerseed, spathulate anthospermum, jackal's tail (Eng.), jakkalsstert, skaapbos (Afr.)
Family: Rubiaceae

A dense, woody shrublet with small, needle-like leaves densely covering the stems to form an interesting arrangement of foliaged branches....

08 / 01 / 2024 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Antidesma venosum

Antidesma venosum in fruit (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Tasselberry (Eng.), Voëlsitboom, Tosselbessie (Afr.); isiBangamlotha, Isiqutwane, Umhlabahlungulu, Umhlalanyoni (isiZulu); modulane (Northern Sotho),
Family: Phyllanthaceae

This is an evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded crown, flowers in long, thin catkins that attract insects and insect-eating...

08 / 09 / 2014 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Antithrixia flavicoma

Antithrixia flavicoma shrub
Common names: None known
Family: Asteraceae

Antithrixia flavicoma is a beautiful but little-known shrub. With its large yellow flower heads and silvery-grey leaves it is immediately noticeable...

01 / 02 / 2010 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Apodolirion amyanum

Apodolirion amyanum
Common names: Amy’s apodolirion (Eng.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

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21 / 09 / 2020 | Pamela Nondumiso Sgatya | CREW
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Apodolirion macowanii

Apodolirion macowanii
Common names: spiralled leaf ground lily, MacOwan’s ground lily
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The beautiful spiralled leaf Apodolirion macowanii has delicate, white flowers that open for just two days and have a strong sweet-scent, which might uplift...

04 / 11 / 2019 | Pamela Nondumiso Sgatya | CREW
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Apodytes dimidiata subsp.dimidiata

Apodytes dimidiata
Common names: white pear, bird's eye (Eng.); witpeer (Afr.); umdakane (Xhosa); umdagane (Zulu); umdzagame (Swati) sephopha-madi, kgalagangwê (N. Sotho), tshiphopha
Family: Icacinaceae

Apodytes dimidiata is the ideal tree for the home garden as it does not have messy fruits and is safe to plant near the house, not disturbing the...

28 / 04 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aponogeton angustifolius

Aponogeton angustifolius showing white petals and ripe orange pollen. Photo Stuart Hall
Common names: delicate Cape-pondweed, narrow-leaved Cape-pondweed (Eng.); delikate waterblommetjie, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

Aponogeton angustifolius is a freshwater aquatic, with small, ornamental floating leaves and delicate, short sprays of white flowers. It is becoming increasingly...

05 / 09 / 2022 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aponogeton distachyos

Waterblommetjies in Kirstenbosch
Common names: Cape pondweed, water onion, water asparagus (Eng.); waterblommetjie, vleikos, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

This is a well known local delicacy for the cold winter months. It has become so popular that many commercial plantings have been made in ponds around...

06 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aptenia cordifolia

Aptenia cordifolia
Common names: baby sun rose, red aptenia (Eng.); rooi brakvygie, brakvygie (Afr.); Ibohlololo, uncolozi omncane (Zulu)
Family: Aizoaceae

The glossy succulent leaves and bright magenta pink flowers are distinctive characteristics of Aptenia cordifolia. It is a well-known groundcover or creeping...

05 / 01 / 2009 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aptosimum procumbens

Aptosimum procumbens
Common names: carpet flower, Karoo violet (Eng.); kankerbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

An ideal water-wise ground-cover plant for dry gardens, Aptosimum procumbens is one of the treasures of the arid and semi-arid parts of South Africa....

01 / 01 / 2003 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Arctopus echinatus

A. echinatus female plant Photo A. Magee
Common names: flat-thorn (Eng.); platdoring, pokkiesdoring, sieketroos (Afr.)
Family: Apiaceae

Arctopus echinatus is an easily recognizable, flat-growing, spiny-leaved geophyte. It is an important South African medicinal plant with a long history...

08 / 02 / 2010 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium
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Arctotheca calendula

Arctotheca calendula
Common names: Cape marigold, Cape weed, Cape dandelion (Eng.); botterblom, gousblom, soetgousblom, tonteldoekblom, Kaapse madeliefie (Afr.); isiqwashumbe (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

A weedy annual that can be planted as a showy ground cover or bedding plant for spring and early summer display....

04 / 03 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotheca populifolia

Flowers
Common names: beach pumpkin (Eng.); seepampoen, tonteldoek (blom), strandgousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotheca populifolia is a 'beach bum'! It is a common pioneer along the southern African coast. Have a look next time you are on the beach and...

19 / 02 / 2007 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Arctotis acaulis

Arctotis acaulis flower - orange with black spots
Common names: renoster arctotis, renoster marigold (Eng.), renostergousblom, tonteldoekblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis acaulis is a fast-growing perennial that is best grown as an annual, with large orange, yellow, salmon or cream daisies in spring and early...

29 / 09 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis angustifolia

Arctotis angustifolia
Common names: narrow-leaved arctotis (Eng.); smalblaar gousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This silvery-leaved perennial will light up many a garden with its bright orange or white flowers in spring....

27 / 08 / 2018 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Arctotis arctotoides

Arctotis arctotoides
Common names: botterblom (Afrikaans), putswa-pududu (South Sotho), ubushwa (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis arctotoides is a fast-growing, soft, herbaceous groundcover that forms carpets of light green foliage decorated with cheerful, butter-yellow daisy...

19 / 08 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch 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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Arctotis fastuosa

Orange form of A.fastuosa
Common names: Namaqualand arctotis, Iceland daisy, Namaqua marigold, double Namaqualand daisy (Eng.); Namakwagousblom, bittergousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis fastuosa with large colourful flowers, is an easy-to-grow annual from the dry Namaqualand region....

11 / 12 / 2006 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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