Plants of the Week

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E.g., 21/12/2024
E.g., 21/12/2024

Lachenalia orthopetala

Inflorescence
Common names: straight-petal lachenalia, Cape hyacinth (Eng.); viooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia orthopetala, an indigenous hyacinth with striking upward-facing, creamy-white maroon-tipped flowers, is one of the rarest and most rewarding...

29 / 06 / 2009 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Drosanthemum thudichumii

Drosanthemum thudichumii  shrublet
Common names: Thudichum's vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

Drosanthemum thudichumii is a hardy winter rainfall vygie (mesemb) with showy, yellow, iridescent flowers....

29 / 06 / 2009 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Senecio hederiformis

Senecio hederiformis flower and leaves
Common names: ivy-leaved senecio
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio hederiformis is a rare and still relatively poorly known species from the high-altitude grasslands of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province, South Africa....

22 / 06 / 2009 | Lize Von Staden | TSP
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Pelargonium laevigatum

Pelargonium laevigatum leaves and flowers
Common names: none
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium laevigatum is an attractive shrub with decorative foliage and flowers throughout the year; it is well-suited to rockeries, water-wise and...

22 / 06 / 2009 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Protea laurifolia

Protea laurifolia flower head
Common names: laurel protea, laurel-leaf protea, grey-leaf sugarbush (Eng.); louriersuikerbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Protea laurifolia is a bearded protea with large, pale pink or cream flower heads during the winter months. It is also frost hardy, water-wise and...

15 / 06 / 2009 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gibbaeum

Gibbaeum dispar
Common names: mimicry plants (Eng.); volstruistone (ostrich toes), duimpie-snuif (thumb snuff), papegaaibek (parrot beak), vinger-en-duim (finger and thumb), visbek
Family: Mesembryanthemaceae

Gibbaeums are bizarre succulents that grow hidden amongst pebbles; the entire genus is endemic to the Cape Floristic Region, occurring only in the arid...

15 / 06 / 2009 | D Raimondo | TSP
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Platycaulos callistachyus

Platycaulos callistachyus female flowers
Common names: none
Family: Restionaceae

Platycaulos callistachyus is a little known restio. Its interesting culms and dense growth make it a worthy landscaping plant suited to any medium...

08 / 06 / 2009 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium crassicaule

Pelargonium crassicaule flowers
Common names: none
Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium crassicaule is a succulent plant with dainty, fragile, faintly sweet-scented flowers varying considerably in colour, and has great potential...

08 / 06 / 2009 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica abietina subsp. abietina

Erica abietina subsp. abietina flowers and leaves
Common names: red heath (Eng.); rooiheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Hikers walking on Table Mountain will experience the delights of the amazing diversity of plant life and the many flowers that are to be seen every month...

01 / 06 / 2009 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe longistyla

Aloe longistyla flowers
Common names: Karoo aloe (Eng.); ramenas, Karoo-aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe longistylsa is a small and elusive aloe that uses excellent camouflage to help it blend in with its environment. It is only easily seen in its natural...

01 / 06 / 2009 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Pelargonium fulgidum

Pelargonium fulgidum flower
Common names: celandine-leaved pelargonium (Eng.); rooi malva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

With its silvery, silky foliage and bright red flowers, Pelargonium fulgidum is an interesting and beautiful subject for coastal and water-wise gardens...

25 / 05 / 2009 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Laurophyllus capensis

Laurophyllus capensis female tree in habitat
Common names: iron martin (Eng.); ystermartiens, filabos(sie), vlakwitels (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Reindeer antlers on an African tree? Endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape, the iron martin has separate male and female trees. The female trees carry...

25 / 05 / 2009 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Erica margaritacea

Erica margaritacea flowers
Common names: pearl heath (Eng.); heuningheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

The delicate white flowers covering the bush of Erica margaritacea resemble tiny pearls. It only occurs at one locality in the wild, but is a very rewarding...

18 / 05 / 2009 | C Cowell | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe krapohliana

Aloe krapohliana flowers
Common names: Krapohl's aloe
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe krapohliana is a distinctive smallish aloe which falls under a group of aloes characterized by short stemless plants, leaf rosettes that form near...

18 / 05 / 2009 | Werner Voigt | Harold Porter NBG
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Aloe nubigena

Aloe nubigena
Common names: Graskop cliff aloe (Eng.), Graskop krans-aalwyn (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe nubigena is an attractive small aloe with soft, strap-shaped leaves and is ideal for growing in hanging baskets....

11 / 05 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dioscorea brownii

Dioscorea brownii, male plant
Common names: none
Family: Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea brownii, a little known, unusual and rare member of the yam family is found only in southern KwaZulu-Natal. It is unique amongst the dioscoreas...

04 / 05 / 2009 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Aloe thompsoniae

Aloe thompsoniae in a hanging baskets
Common names: Wolkberg cliff aloe (Eng.), Wolkberg krans-aalwyn (Afr.).
Family: Asphodelaceae

...

04 / 05 / 2009 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium hispidum

Pelargonium hispidum
Common names: hispid pelargonium (Eng); grofharig (Afri.)
Family: Geraniaceae

This summer flowering pelargonium has bristly leaves, hence its name....

27 / 04 / 2009 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brunsvigia bosmaniae

Brunsvigia bosmaniae display at Hantam NBG
Common names: candelabra lily (Eng.); Maartblom, kandelaar (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia bosmaniae produces a dazzling floral display during autumn when little else is flowering in the veld. More or less 21 days after a late summer...

27 / 04 / 2009 | Colleen Rust | Hantam NBG
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Lachenalia framesii

Lachenalia framesii plants
Common names: viooltjie (Afrikaans)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia framesii has beautiful yellow-green flowers and is found in flat, sandy areas in Namaqualand....

20 / 04 / 2009 | Hester Steyn | Pretoria NBG
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