Plants of the Week

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E.g., 13/12/2024
E.g., 13/12/2024

Cordia caffra

Cordia fruits
Common names: septee saucer-berry (Eng.); septeeboom (Afr.); mududa (V)
Family: Boraginaceae

Why this breathtaking tree is so rarely used in the horticultural and landscape trade is a mystery. It possesses almost all the qualities of the ideal...

20 / 10 / 2003 | Nick Klapwijk | Pretoria NBG
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Lachenalia liliflora

Close- up of flowers
Common names: Cape hyacinth (Eng.); viooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Sadly, Lachenalia liliflora,  an indigenous hyacinth with strikingly beautiful creamy-white flowers tipped with purple, is on the critically endangered...

20 / 10 / 2003 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucospermum bolusii

Leucospermum bolusii
Common names: Gordon's Bay pincushion (Eng.); witluisiesbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

The Gordon's Bay pincushion is quite unusual for a pincushion in that its flowers are a creamy white colour where they are normally a striking orange...

27 / 10 / 2003 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sclerocarya birrea

Fruits and leaves
Common names: marula (Eng.); morula (Northern Sotho); mufula (Tshivenda); ukanyi (Tsonga)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The edible fruits and the multiple uses associated with almost all parts of the marula, make it one of southern Africa's most valued trees....

27 / 10 / 2003 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Pretoria NBG
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Vachellia sieberiana var. woodii

Vachellia sieberiana var.woodii
Common names: paperbark thorn (Eng.); papierbasdoring (Afr.); Mphoka (North Sotho); umNganduzi (Siswati); Mokha, Morumosetlha (Tswana); Musaunga (Venda); umKhamba (
Family: Fabaceae

Pure stands of these beautifully shaped trees with their perfectly flattened crowns are quite stunning. Where else but in Africa would you encounter such...

03 / 11 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'

Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'
Common names: Mona Lavender spurflower (Eng.); muishondblaar (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender', a hybrid developed at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, is becoming a hit around the world!...

03 / 11 / 2003 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Helichrysum nudifolium

Helichrysum nudifolium
Common names: Hottentot's tea (Eng.); Hottentotstee (Afr.); letapiso, mohlomela-tsie-oa-thaba (Southern Sotho); ludvutfane (Swazi); icholocholo (Xhosa, Zulu); isidw
Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum nudifolium is a sun-loving, perennial herb with a pale yellow inflorescence and shiny, light green leaves. There are many species very similar...

10 / 11 / 2003 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Satyrium carneum

Satyrium carneum
Common names: pink satyr orchid (Eng.); rooikappie, rooi-trewwa, ewwa-trewwa (Afr.)
Family: Orchidaceae

Satyrium carneum, an endemic orchid in Western Cape from the Cape Peninsula to Riversdale, is becoming increasingly local and rare....

10 / 11 / 2003 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Haemanthus coccineus

Flowering in late summer
Common names: March flower, April fool, blood flower, paintbrush lily, powderpuff lily, king-of-Candia, pincushion (Eng.); bergajuin, bloedblom, rooikwas, bobbejaan
Family: Amaryllidaceae

One of the surprises of late summer, with flowerheads like bright shaving brushes popping up from underground bulbs, is Haemanthus coccineus, which has...

17 / 11 / 2003 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Heterolepis aliena

Heterolepis aliena
Common names: rock daisy (Eng.); rotsgousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

When walking through the Mathews Rockery in Kirstenbosch during early summer, it is impossible to miss Heterolepis aliena. It is quite dazzling, covered...

17 / 11 / 2003 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ansellia africana

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

...

24 / 11 / 2003 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Salvia repens

Salvia repens
Common names: creeping sage (Eng.); kruipsalie (Afr.); usikiki (Xho.)
Family: Lamiaceae

As another member of the interesting sage family, this creeping sage with its aromatic leaves and abundance of flowers in summer, is a perennial worth...

24 / 11 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica turgida

Flowers of Erica turgida
Common names: Kenilworth heath
Family: Ericaceae

Erica turgida is an erect, bushy plant 300-400 mm high, with slender, willowy and slightly hairy branches. ...

01 / 12 / 2003 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Scabiosa incisa

Scabious incisa
Common names: coast scabious (Eng.), koringblommetjie (Afr.), isilawu esikhulu, iyeza lamehlo (Xhosa)
Family: Dipsacaceae

Scabiosa incisa with its large mauve or white flowers must be one of South Africa's prettiest indigenous perennials. Growing in small clumps, the flowerheads...

08 / 12 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sutherlandia frutescens

This plant is now called Lessertia frutescens....

08 / 12 / 2003 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Justicia petiolaris

Justicia petiolaris
Common names: blue justicia, kissing-leaves (Eng.); kiesieblaar (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Attractive and little-known perennial shrubs with soft velvety leaves and pretty pink-purple or mauve-blue, two-lipped, pouted flowers, present almost...

15 / 12 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica inordinata

Erica inordinata
Common names: Kammanassie erica
Family: Ericaceae

Erica inordinata is a lovely species that is not well known because it occurs at a rather high altitude on the insular Kammanassie Mountain Range...

22 / 12 / 2003 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ehretia rigida

Ehretia rigida in flower. Image Geoff Nicols
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
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Helichrysum splendidum

Helichrysum splendidum
Common names: cape gold (Eng.); geelsewejaartjie (Afr.); phefo-ea-loti, toanae-moru (S.Sotho)
Family: Asteraceae

...

29 / 12 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euryops virgineus

Euryops virgineus
Common names: honey euryops, river resin bush (Eng.); rivierharpuisbos, heuningmagriet (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Many collectors of South African plants have raved about this attractive plant, and J.D. Keet, who collected a specimen as early as 1918 in the Knysna...

05 / 01 / 2004 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria
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