Plants of the Week

Laportea grossa

Common names: spotted nettle (Eng.); gevlekte brandnetel (Afr.); ubazi, ububasa (Xhosa); imbabazane, imbathi (Zulu)

Family: Urticaceae

Laportea grossa has decorative, glossy dark green foliage with conspicuous white spots - an excellent plant to brighten up a shady bed, but it needs careful...

03 / 03 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cassia abbreviata subsp. beareana

Common names: long-tail cassia, sjambok pod, wild senna (Eng.); sjambokpeul, peulboom, peulbos, boontjieboom (Afr.), molepelepe, monêpênêpê (Tw), muboma, mulamb

Family: Fabaceae

The long-tail cassia is ideal for small to medium-sized gardens where it will attract attention with both its beautiful deep yellow, sweetly scented flowers...

03 / 03 / 2008 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Pelargonium abrotanifolium

Common names: southernwood-leaf pelargonium (Eng.); klipmalvabossie, maagbossie, wildemalva (Afr.)

Family: Geraniaceae

This small flowering shrublet with aromatic foliage provides beauty and colour all year round to any arid garden and rockery....

25 / 02 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hibiscus calyphyllus

Common names: hibiscus, sun hibiscus, lemon-yellow rosemallow (Eng.); wildestokroos (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

This perennial shrub with its striking, large, lemon-yellow flowers and velvety leaves is perfect as an informal border or as a centrepiece in a small...

25 / 02 / 2008 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Oscularia piquetbergensis

Common names: dassievygie, sandsteenygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Oscularia piquetbergensis, just like O. deltoides, is another easy-to-grow succulent groundcover for low-maintenance and water-wise gardens....

18 / 02 / 2008 | M Buys | Compton Herbarium

Drosera capensis

Common names: Cape sundew (Eng.); sondouw (Afr.)

Family: Droseraceae

Glistening dewdrops adorn the strap-like leaves of the sundew, enticing insects to their deaths. ...

18 / 02 / 2008 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Syncarpha eximia

Common names: strawberry everlasting (Eng.); rooisewejaartjie, sewejaartjie, strooiblommetjie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This beautiful plant has prominent, showy, red and orange flower heads that in bud are reminiscent of a bowl of strawberries, borne above erect stems covered...

11 / 02 / 2008 | Waafeka Vardien | Compton Herbarium

Rotheca hirsuta

Common names: butterfly bush, Matabele violet, wild violet (Eng.); sigibanyongo (siSwati); khopha, mokata (Sotho); umathanjana, umathanjane, uSikisiki (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

Rotheca hirsuta occurs mainly in grassland. It is one of the first spring flowers to appear after winter in the summer rainfall regions....

04 / 02 / 2008 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Anemone vesicatoria

Common names: blisterleaf (Eng.); brandblaar, katjiedrieblaar, tandpynblaar, peperwortel (Afr.)

Family: Ranunculaceae

Anemone vesicatoria is one of the few and best fynbos plants for the shady garden. Tough and water-wise, a mature clump of this plant with its attractive...

04 / 02 / 2008 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Trichodesma angustifolium

Common names: blue-bells

Family: Boraginaceae

Dainty pale blue flowers that turn pink with age cover bushes of Trichodesma angustifolium subsp. angustifolium in springtime, especially after fire....

28 / 01 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Markhamia zanzibarica

Common names: bell bean tree ( Eng. ); klokkiesboontjieboom (Afr.); mula-kholoma ( Venda )

Family: Bignoniaceae

Markhamia zanzibarica, a small, tropical tree with striking flowers and decorative fruits, is Tree of the Year for 2008, together with Diospyros...

28 / 01 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pachycarpus schinzianus

Common names: cream cups (Eng.); bitterwortel (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

In spring and summer Pachycarpus schinzianus and Xysmalobium undulatum are the two largest and most readily distinguished asclepiads in the grasslands...

21 / 01 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Diosma oppositifolia

Common names: bitter buchu (Eng.); bitterboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Diosma oppositifolia is an aromatic shrub with attractive foliage and a long flowering season; it is a useful filler shrub for fynbos and water-wise...

21 / 01 / 2008 | Justin Wigget | Kirstenbosch NBG

Crassula dejecta

Common names: doily crassula (Eng.); klipblom (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula dejecta has decorative, fresh green foliage and showy white summer flowers, a good ground cover for the water-wise garden and a rewarding...

14 / 01 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barringtonia racemosa

Common names: powderpuff tree (Eng.); poeierkwasboom (Afr.); iBhoqo (isiZulu)

Family: Lecythidaceae

This beautiful mangrove tree is easily recognized by its large leaves, delicate white flowers and guava-like fruit that hang in long racemes....

14 / 01 / 2008 | M Cheek | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Salvia africana

Common names: blue African sage, blue sage, wild sage, African sage, purple sage (Eng.); blousalie, bloublomsalie, Afrikaansesalie, perdesalie, wildesalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Salvia africana is a decorative, aromatic shrub with medicinal properties. Keep it neat and pruned and it will reward you with flowers almost all year...

07 / 01 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Faurea rochetiana

Common names: broad-leaved boekenhout (Eng.); breëblaarboekenhout (Afr.) ; Mogwapi (North Sotho); siSefo (siSwati); N'wamidzumba (Tsonga); Mutango (tshiVenda)

Family: Proteaceae

At first glance this small tree does not look like a member of the protea family.The broad-leaved boekenhout is a gnarled, deciduous tree of a form one...

07 / 01 / 2008 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Pavetta revoluta

Common names: dune bride's bush ( Eng. ); duinebruidsbos (Afr.); umCilikishe (Xhosa); umHlabambaza (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This white-flowered shrub or a small tree is a joy to have in the garden; it also attracts wild life to the garden....

31 / 12 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hermannia

Common names: doll's roses (Eng.); poprosie, moederkappie (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

A very diverse and attractive group of plants with highly ornamental flowers, fitting into a variety of habitats and growth forms, hermannias are the little...

31 / 12 / 2007 | B Sachse | National Herbarium Pretoria

Pavetta

Common names: bride's bush, Christmas bush ( Eng. ); bruidsboom, bruidsbos, kers(mis)bos (Afr.)

Family: Rubiaceae

When in full flower, these trees or shrubs truly remind one of a beautiful, radiant bride stunningly dressed in a specially designed white garment! As...

24 / 12 / 2007 | Paul Herman | Pretoria NBG

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