Plants of the Week

Elaeodendron transvaalense

Common names: bushveld saffron (Eng.); bosveldsaffraan, lepelhout (Afr.); iNgwavuma, uMgugudo (Zulu); shimapana (Tsonga); monamane (Northern Sotho)

Family: Celastraceae

Elaeodendron transvaalense is an attractive, small to medium tree that fits perfectly in a small garden. Those gardening for biodiversity will find this...

28 / 05 / 2007 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Elaeodendron croceum

Common names: saffron; saffron wood, forest saffron (Eng.); saffraan, bossafraan (Afr.)

Family: Celastraceae

Elaeodendron croceum is an attractive, evergreen tree with a neat, upright shape which can with care be cultivated in gardens large and small....

07 / 06 / 2004 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ekebergia pterophylla

Common names: rock ash (Eng.); rotsessenhout (Afr.); maGwedla (Swahili)

Family: Meliaceae

This is a tidy, attractive, evergreen shrub/tree, with sweetly scented flowers, bearing berries....

07 / 11 / 2005 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ekebergia capensis

Common names: Cape ash, dogplum (E), essenhout (A), mmidibidi (NS), umnyamatsi (SW), nyamaru (Ts)

Family: Meliaceae

This is a large attractive evergreen tree that has been used as a street tree in many towns and cities of South Africa, Uganda and the Democratic Republic...

27 / 12 / 2004 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu 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

Ehretia rigida

Common names: puzzle bush (Eng.); deurmekaarbos (Afr.); umHlele (Zulu); Morobe (Northern Sotho); iBotshane (Xhosa); Mutepe (Venda)

Family: Boraginaceae

Ehretia rigida is a deciduous small tree or shrub, usually multi-stemmed, with an untidy rounded crown. It has tangled branches which arch downwards or...

23 / 12 / 2003 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG

Dyschoriste thunbergiiflora

Common names: purple bells (Eng.); persklokkies (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

A versatile, evergreen shrub for semi-shade, with attractive dark green foliage and eye-catching, large, blue-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers, occurring...

04 / 04 / 2016 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dyschoriste setigera

Common names: Fairy Stars

Family: Acanthaceae

This is a delightful low-growing groundcover up to 150-300mm high that requires little or no maintenance and is particularly suitable for water-wise gardens...

31 / 03 / 2014 | Zoleka Maphanga | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dyschoriste rogersii

Common names: bushveld ribbon flower (Eng.); blou-bosklapper (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

A small, evergreen shrub with a very long flowering season, best in semi-shade and with very few natural enemies....

01 / 04 / 2019 | Tumelo Mofokeng | Pretoria 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

Duvernoia adhatodoides

Common names: pistol bush (Eng.); pistoolbos (Afr.); ihlwalane, isepheka, ihlwehlwe (Xhosa); uthabe, lothabe (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

Duvernoia adhatodoides is now Justicia adhatodoides ...

02 / 03 / 2015 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Duvernoia aconitiflora

Common names: yellow pistolbush, lemon pistolbush (Eng.); geelpistoolbos, lemoenpistoolbos (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

Duvernoia aconitiflora is now called Justicia aconitiflora. ...

15 / 01 / 2018 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dumasia villosa var. villosa

Common names: black bean (Eng.); ukhalimele (isiZulu)

Family: Fabaceae

The beautiful blue seeds of dumasia are what caught my eyes and immediately I thought people should know about this beautiful plant. Also, its linear,...

03 / 08 / 2015 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria

Dryopteridaceae

Common names: wood fern family

Family: Dryopteridaceae

The Dryopteridaceae is a large and diverse fern family with a near cosmopolitan distribution. Arachniodes (East Indian holly fern), Cyrtomium (net-veined...

09 / 02 / 2004 | Koos Roux | Compton Herbarium

Drosera xerophila

Common names: xeric sundew, dryland sundew (Eng.)

Family: Droseraceae

Drosera xerophila is one of the stunning sundews, belonging to the Droseraceae family, characterised by a rosette of leaves that lie close to the ground...

16 / 09 / 2024 | Nyameka Dlawu | Harold Porter NBG

Drosera trinervia

Common names: small sundew (Eng.); klein sondouw (Afr.)

Family: Droseraceae

This opportunistic little Drosera is one of the most common carnivorous plant species in South Africa and can be found growing amongst fynbos during winter...

20 / 08 / 2012 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG