Plants of the Week

Hypoestes aristata var. aristata 'Purple Haze'

Common names: ribbon bush (E) lintbos (A) uhlonyane (Z)

This is a special form of the popular ribbon bush Hypoestes aristata which is a garden stalwart....

02 / 07 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Erica baueri subsp. baueri

Common names: bridal heath, Albertinia heath (Eng.); witheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica baueri subsp. baueri is one of the most popular and widely cultivated of the South African species. It is one of the few ericas that regularly...

02 / 07 / 2001 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tetradenia riparia

Common names: misty plume bush, ginger bush (English); gemmerbos, watersalie (Afrikaans); iboza, ibozane (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

An encounter with Tetradenia riparia in flower in the wintry, dry bush is most surprising. There is the impression of soft lilac mist on bare...

25 / 06 / 2001 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Agathosma ovata 'Kluitjieskraal'

Common names: Kluitjieskraal false buchu (E); Kluitjieskraalbasterboegoe (A)

Family: Rutaceae

Agathosma ovata is a variable shrub and occurs from the Western Cape up into KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho. It is commonly known as the false buchu. 'Kluitjieskraal'...

25 / 06 / 2001 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Euryops pectinatus

Common names: woolly resin bush, golden euryops, golden daisy bush (Eng.), wolharpuisbos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This is a colourful, easily grown shrub from the winter rainfall region....

11 / 06 / 2001 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

Eriocephalus africanus

Common names: wild rosemary (Eng.), wilderoosmaryn, kapokbos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Wild rosemary is one of the shrubs that most people in the Cape know because it is so common in the veld and easy to identify with its thin, grey leaves,...

11 / 06 / 2001 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Olinia emarginata

Common names: mountain hard pear (Eng.); berghardpeer (Afr.)

Family: Oliniaceae

Olinia emarginata is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree, with attractive flowers and berries which makes for an attractive garden ornamental,...

04 / 06 / 2001 | Berenice Carolus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium sidoides

Common names: black pelargonium (Eng.) kalwerbossie, rabassam (Afr.), ikubalo, iyeza lesikhali (Xhosa), khoara-e-nyenyane (Southern Sotho), umckaloabo (German remed

Family: Geraniaceae

A tufted pelargonium with velvety silver leaves and almost black flowers that is a well known medicinal plant in South Africa....

28 / 05 / 2001 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dombeya autumnalis

Common names: autumn dombeya, autumn wild pear (English); rotsdrolpeer (Afrikaans)

Family: Malvaceae

This is another attractive shrub for the garden....

28 / 05 / 2001 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Kalanchoe rotundifolia

Common names: common Kalanchoe, round-leaf kalanchoe (Eng.); nentabos, plakkie (Afr.); idambisa, uchane, umadinsane (Zul.); umfayisele yasehlatini, ipewula (Xho.)

Family: Crassulaceae

A brittle succulent plant which grows up to 1 m tall under favourable conditions. It is a delightful little plant that puts up a brave show in clumps among...

21 / 05 / 2001 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Helichrysum argyrophyllum

Common names: Mo's Gold, Golden guinea everlasting, Vaalsewejaartjie

Family: Asteraceae

This plant originates in the Eastern Cape. It favours dry places and bare, open, hard ground and grasslands. It is often found growing amongst rocks. This...

21 / 05 / 2001 | Ryan Smith | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria obtusa

Common names: bush violet, barleria (Eng.); bosviooltjie (Afr.); idololenkonyane (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

Amongst the attractive red, bronze tints provided by tree foliage in autum, Barleria obtusa makes an even more spectacular show, when it is covered in...

14 / 05 / 2001 | Megan Isaacs | Kirstenbosch NBG

Senegalia ataxacantha

Common names: Flamethorn (E), Vlamdoring / Rank wag-'n-bietjie (Afr), umThathawe (Z), Mologa (N.Sotho), Mogôkatau (Setsw), Muluwa (V), umNga (X).

Family: Fabaceae

The most striking feature of this plant are the deep red to purple-red pods which are held in conspicuous bunches and account for the common name "flame...

14 / 05 / 2001 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

Dombeya burgessiae

Common names: pink wild pear, pink dombeya, persdrolpeer (Afrikaans), ibunda (Zulu)

Family: Malvaceae

The pink wild pear is a garden favourite used by many gardeners and landscapers for its profusion of pink to white flowers borne in dense clusters which...

07 / 05 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Osteospermum moniliferum

Common names: bietou, boneseed, tickberry, brother berry, bush-tickberry (Eng.) bietou, boetabessie, bosluisbessie, bokbessie, weskusbietou, skilpadkos (Afr.), inku

Family: Asteraceae

A fast growing shrub with bright yellow daisies in autumn and winter followed by edible berries; a useful pioneer, screening plant and popular with birds...

07 / 05 / 2001 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Syncolostemon obermeyerae

Common names: Soutpansberg sagebush, pink sagebush (Eng.); Soutpansbergsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Syncolostemon obermeyerae is a fast growing, much branched shrub which can grow to 1,8m tall....

30 / 04 / 2001 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

Clivia gardenii

Common names: Major Garden's clivia, Natal drooping clivia (English); boslelie (Afrikaans); umayime (Zulu)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Clivia gardenii is a subtle and delicately pretty sister to the well known Clivia miniata (Bush Lily), which has been in cultivation for many...

30 / 04 / 2001 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Tecomaria capensis

Common names: Cape honeysuckle, tecomaria (Eng.); Kaapse kanferfoelie, trompetters (Afr.); malangula (Swazi); umsilingi, icakatha (Xhosa); lungana, incwincwi, uchac

Family: Bignoniaceae

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23 / 04 / 2001 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG