Plants of the Week

Atalaya alata

Common names: Lebombo krantz ash (Eng.); Lebombo kransesseboom (Afr.); umzondo, umnondo (Zulu)

Family: Sapindaceae

Introduce a finer texture in your garden by planting Atalaya alata....

13 / 10 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tritonia crocata

Common names: Mossel Bay tritonia (Eng.) mosselbaaikalkoentjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Tritonia crocata is a striking, late spring and early summer-flowering plant with fiery orange or reddish orange flower sprays and a fan of short, lance-shaped...

06 / 10 / 2008 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Justicia flava

Common names: yellow justicea (Eng.); geelgarnaalbos (Afr.); impela (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

Justicia flava is a ground cover which produces yellow flowers from September to May and is a good investment for a sunny spot in the garden....

06 / 10 / 2008 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Mundulea sericea

Common names: cork bush, silver bush, Rhodesian silver-leaf (Eng.); kurkbos, blou-ertjieboom, olifantshout, visboontjie, visgif, mangaanbos (Afr.); omukeka (Herero)

Family: Fabaceae

In a landscape characterised by grass and rock, all-year frost and drenching thunderstorms, Mundulea sericea stands out as the true star of the veld....

29 / 09 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Arctotis acaulis

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

Pelargonium glutinosum

Common names: balm-scented pelargonium, sticky-leaf pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This showy Pelargonium with its dark pink flowers and dark green leaves will bring delight to a garden wanting striking contrast....

22 / 09 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Parinari curatellifolia

Common names: mobola-plum, cork tree, hissing tree (Eng.); grysappel, bosappel (Afr.); mmola (N. Sotho); mbulwa (Tsonga); mobola (Tswana); muvhula (Venda)

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

This attractive shade-providing tree is a prominent aspect in its environment, and it is no surprise that a tribute to the late Dr David Livingstone (a...

22 / 09 / 2008 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Strumaria

Common names: Cape snowflake (Eng.); tolbol (Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

15 / 09 / 2008 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium

Protea coronata

Common names: green protea, green sugarbush (Eng.); groenhofiesuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea coronata has bright apple-green inflorescences hidden amongst its silvery foliage; it's not a showy garden shrub but the very attractive...

15 / 09 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos arenarius

Common names: Alexandria cycad, Kwa Qaba cycad (Eng.); uMphanga wakwa Qaba (Nguni)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos arenarius is a medium-sized, multi-stemmed, subterranean plant about 1-2 m high. It grows well in semi-shade but can tolerate full...

08 / 09 / 2008 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brachystelma barberae

Common names: platvoetaasblom (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Brachystelma barberae is without doubt the most spectacular species in the genus. It is probably the best known cultivated caudiciform asclepiad. If the...

08 / 09 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Salvia lanceolata

Common names: rusty sage, lance-leaf sage (Eng.); rooisalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

A lovely grey-green aromatic shrub with rusty red flowers for most of the year; rewardingly easy to grow and water-wise....

01 / 09 / 2008 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ehrharta calycina

Common names: common ehrharta, common veld grass (Eng.); gewone ehrharta, rooigras, polgras (Afr.)

Family: Poaceae

Ehrharta calycina is usually perennial with strongly geniculate culms (stems), red-flowers and a creeping, branched rhizome....

01 / 09 / 2008 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | Pretoria NBG

Pelargonium radens

Common names: rasp-leaved, multifid-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This showy, scented pelargonium will bring delight to any fragrant garden....

25 / 08 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Croton sylvaticus

Common names: forest fever-berry, woodland croton (Eng.); boskoorsbessie (Afr.), umFeze, uMagwaqane (Xhosa); umHloshazane, uGebeleweni, umZilanyoni, inDumbahlozi (Z

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Croton sylvaticus is a beautiful, spreading, leafy tree, up to 21 m, high sometimes less, usually with a tall, straight trunk up to 1 m in diameter....

25 / 08 / 2008 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG

Searsia magalismontana subsp. magalismontana

S. magalismontana subsp. magalismontana bush Photo: Linette Ferreira

Common names: bergtaaibos (Afr.)

Family: Anacardiaceae

Nowadays, when small gardens are the order of the day, this lovely little multistemmed shrub has been overlooked as a potential form plant for that special...

18 / 08 / 2008 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG

Acmadenia trigona

Common names: Langeberg porcelain flower (Eng.); Langeberg-boegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Acmadenia trigona, from the winter rainfall region, forms an upright shrub with spreading branches. It grows 0.3-0.7 m high. It is a single stem at the...

18 / 08 / 2008 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG

Leucadendron sessile

Common names: sun conebush, western sunbush (Eng.)

Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron sessile is an easy-to-grow fynbos shrub that turns bright yellow during winter and spring. Leucadendrons are often overlooked, in favour...

11 / 08 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG