Plants of the Week

Senegalia afra

Common names: common hook-thorn, cat thorn(English); gewone haakdoring, katdoring (Afrikaans); umTholo (Zulu); Motholo (N. Sotho); Morutlhare (Tswana); Mbvhinya-xih

Family: Fabaceae

This beautiful tree is the most common naturally occurring senegalia in the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden. It may reach up to 14m and has an...

| Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Ballota africana

Common names: cat herb, Cape horehound (Eng.); kattekruie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

A popular herb in the Cape, Ballota africana is easy to identify by its soft-grey, aromatic foliage and old brown calyces that remain long after the flowers...

| Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria greenii

Common names: wild bush petunia, Green's barleria

Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria greenii is a striking and highly habitat-specific shrub, known for its large pink to white flowers that bloom in summer and release their sweet...

| Lungisani Zondi | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Brackenridgea zanguebarica

Common names: yellow peeling plane (Eng.); geellekkerbreek (Afr.); mutavhatsindi (Ven.)

Family: Ochnaceae

The yellow peeling plane, better known as mutavhatsindi, is one of the most sought-after trees in South Africa, particularly within the Vhembe District...

| Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cordia afra

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...

| Nick Klapwijk | Pretoria NBG

Dissotis canescens

Common names: pink wild tibouchina, pink marsh dissotis, ordeal bean (Eng); kalverbossie (Afr); imfeyesele (Zulu)

Family: Melastomataceae

Dissotis canescens is now called Argyrella canescens....

| Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Dissotis princeps

Common names: purple dissotis, royal dissotis, wild tibouchina, purple wild tibouchina (Eng.); kalwerbossie (Afr.); sichobochobo, umpongamponga (Swazi)

Family: Melastomataceae

Dissotis princeps is now called Rosettea princeps ...

| Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dovyalis afra

Common names: Kei-apple (Eng.); Kei-appel (Afr.); motlhono (North Sotho); umqokolo (Zulu); amaqokolo (Ndebele); mukokolo (Shona)

Family: Salicaceae

Dovyalis afra is a lovely evergreen fruit tree or shrub. It is one of the three Dovyalis species, together with D. zeyheri (wild...

| Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | Walter Sisulu NBG

Erica afra

Common names: water heath, sweet-scented heath (Eng.); water-heide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

When walking along a stream or near a wetland on a warm day in spring or early summer, a strong sweet smell is sometimes the first indication that one...

| Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Greyia

Common names: wild bottlebrushes

Family: Melianthaceae

This genus occurs only in South Africa, and consists of 3 species, all small trees or shrubs. The three species have a number of common names...

| F Nonyane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Greyia sutherlandii

Common names: glossy bottlebrush, mountain bottlebrush, Natal bottlebrush, wild bottlebrush, beacon tree (Eng.); blinkblaarbaakhout, Natalse baakhout (Afr.); isidw

Family: Melianthaceae

This is a most decorative plant and is becoming popular as an ornamental subject in gardens....

| Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Jubaeopsis afra

Common names: Pondo coconut, Pondo palm (Eng.); Pondopalm (Afr.); ikomba (isiXhosa) National Tree List no. 27 in South Africa.

Family: Arecaceae

A South African palm whose nearest living relative grows in Chile (South America), sounds like fiction, but it is not. Here it is....

| Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Lachenalia mathewsii

Common names: Vredenberg lachenalia, Mathews' lachenalia (Eng.); geelviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia mathewsii is an attractive, deciduous, winter-growing bulb, standing 10-20 cm tall....

| Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimusops afra

Common names: coast red milkwood (Eng.); kusrooimelkboom, moepel (Afr.); umhayihayi amasethole-abomvu, umthunzi, umnweba waselwandle, umnole, umagayi, umkhakhayi (Z

Family: Sapotaceae

Gardeners looking for a tree suitable for coastal gardens with windy conditions should not look any further-this tree is a good choice, particularly for...

| Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pachypodium

Common names: P. baronii var. windsorii : none; P. * bispinosum : bobbejaankos, kragman, sterkman, kamoa (Afr.); P. densiflorum var. densiflorum, P. geayi, P. horom

Family: Apocynaceae

Pachypodiums are caudiciform succulents and many of the species produce spectacular flowers. They exhibit a wide range of bizarre growth forms, from bottle-,...

| Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Protea afra

Common names: highveld sugar bush, common sugarbush (English); gewone suikerbos (Afrikaans); isiQalaba (Zulu, Xhosa)

Family: Proteaceae

The common sugar bush is one of three proteas which occur in the Witwatersrand area. ...

| Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Rauvolfia afra

Common names: quinine tree (Eng.); kinaboom (Afr.); umJelo, umThundisa (isiXhosa); umHlambamanzi, umKhadluvungu (isiZulu)

Family: Apocynaceae

A fine, fast-growing tree for sheltered gardens, easily grown from seed and an unusually decorative tree for larger gardens and parks....

| Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Rhodocoma capensis

Common names: mare's tail rhodocoma (Eng.); katstertkanet, litjieskanet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

A very elegant reed-like plant with slightly arching branches which have whorls of finely divided, feathery looking foliage. This species can be grown...

| Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG