Plants of the Week

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E.g., 12/02/2025
E.g., 12/02/2025

Justicia adhatodoides

Justicia adhatodoides
Common names: pistol bush (Eng.); pistoolbos (Afr.); ihlwalane, isepheka, ihlwehlwe (Xhosa); uthabe, lothabe (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

A fast-growing, late summer-flowering shrub for semi-shade or sun, with showy and fragrant white flowers that show up well against its glossy dark green...

09 / 07 / 2019 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Justicia campylostemon

Flowers
Common names: honey justicia (Eng.); isipheka (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

...

26 / 05 / 2008 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Justicia flava

Justicea flava flowers
Common names: yellow justicea (Eng.); geelgarnaalbos (Afr.); impela (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

Justicia flava is a ground cover which produces yellow flowers from September to May and is a good investment for a sunny spot in the garden....

06 / 10 / 2008 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Justicia odora

Justicia odora
Common names: bushveld justicia (Eng.), bosveldjusticia (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

If you need a shrub for those difficult sunny areas in your garden, the attractive yellow flowering Justicia odora is just the plant that you are looking...

22 / 12 / 2008 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld 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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Kalanchoe alticola

Kalanchoe alticola
Common names: coin kalanchoe, coin-leaved kalanchoe (Eng.), panniekalanchoe (Afr)
Family: Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe alticola is a small shrubby succulent with rounded leaves and striking yellow flowers in autumn and winter, growing at high altitudes near Barberton...

20 / 01 / 2025 | Ziphezinhle Madonsela | Lowveld NBG
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Kalanchoe lanceolata

Flowers
Common names: narrow-leaved kalanchoe (Eng.); moithimodiso (Setswana); intelezi (Ndebele)
Family: Crassulaceae

Narrow-leaved kalanchoe is a strikingly beautiful, but deadly plant, thriving in rocky habitats in the northern parts of the country....

11 / 05 / 2015 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Kalanchoe longiflora

Kalanchoe longiflora in flower
Common names: Tugela cliff-kalanchoe, long-flower kalanchoe (Eng.); Tugela kransplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe longiflora is a little-known succulent shrub with attractive multi-hued foliage and yellow flowers in autumn to winter. It is suitable for...

26 / 05 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kalanchoe luciae

Kalanchoe luciae
Common names: northern white lady, flapjack plant, flipping pancakes (Eng.); geelplakkie, meelplakkie, plakkie, voëlbrandewyn (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

The Afrikaans name meelplakkie is most appropriate for this plant as it does indeed look as if the whole plant has been liberally dusted with flour (meel)....

01 / 08 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kalanchoe rotundifolia

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
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Kalanchoe sexangularis

Kalanchoe sexangularis
Common names: bushveld kalanchoe, red-leaved kalanchoe (Eng.); bosveldplakkie, rooiblaarplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe sexangularis is a hardy and drought-resistant succulent, with decorative red foliage that’s a must-have for the rockery, garden or patio,...

05 / 09 / 2016 | Jermaine Christoffels | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Common names: white lady, bird’s brandy (Eng.); geelplakkie, meelplakkie, plakkie, voëlbrandewyn (Afr.); serilile (Southern Sotho); utshwala benyoni (Zulu); utyw
Family: Crassulaceae

A striking addition to a succulent rockery or grassland garden, this plant stands tall with its striking white leaves and yellow flowers, at a time of...

18 / 11 / 2019 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Kalanchoe waterbergensis

Kalanchoe waterbergensis
Common names: Waterberg Kalanchoe (Eng.); Waterbergplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

A rare, dwarf leaf-succulent from the Waterberg in the Limpopo Province. The flat, broadly egg-shaped, bluish leaves are crowded at the base before flowering...

26 / 12 / 2022 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Karomia speciosa

Karomia speciosa flower cluster
Common names: southern chinese hats, wild parasol flower (Eng); sambreelboom (Afr). (= Holmskioldia speciosa )
Family: Lamiaceae

This shrub to small tree with its two-tone dark and light green leaves produces the most interesting profusion of paper-like flowers with a pink and purple...

19 / 01 / 2009 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Kedrostis hirtella

Green fruits forming
Common names: bobbejaankomkommer (Afr.); mogakangwaga (Tswana)
Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber, with bright green velvety leaves, bears bright orange-red fruit that will attract birds to your garden....

21 / 03 / 2005 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Khadia

K.acutipetala
Common names: khadiwortel (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

The succulent plants of this genus have long been known as an additive to alcoholic fermentations, making them extra potent. It is the thick underground...

08 / 11 / 2004 | P Burgoyne | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Khaya anthotheca

Khaya anthotheca
Common names: African Mahogany, East African Mahogany, Nyasaland Mahogany, Red Mahogany (Eng.); Oos-Afrikaanse mahonie (Afr.); Acaujo (French)
Family: Meliaceae

This  fairly fast growing tree — up to 1.5 m per year — is neat and decorative for larger gardens and parks in warm areas and is ideal...

17 / 09 / 2007 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG
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Kigelia africana

Flowers of Kigelia africana
Common names: sausage tree (Eng.); worsboom (Afr.); umVunguta, umFongothi (Zulu); Modukguhlu (North Sotho); Muvevha (Venda)
Family: Bignoniaceae

The sausage tree boasts long, open sprays of large, wrinkled, maroon or dark red trumpet-shaped flowers that are velvety on the inside and that virtually...

04 / 08 / 2003 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Kiggelaria africana

Kiggelaria africana
Common names: wild peach, wildeperske (Afr.), umKokoko (Xhosa), uMunwe (Zulu), Monepenepe (North Sotho), Lekgatsi (South Sotho), Muphatavhafu (Venda)
Family: Achariaceae

This widespread tree is said to attract lightning, but some people use it to protect their homes!...

02 / 12 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Killickia grandiflora

Killickia grandiflora
Common names: Cathedral Peak killickia
Family: Lamiaceae

The relatively unknown small genus, Killickia, consists of four species: three are endemic to the Drakensberg Mountain Centre and the fourth species has...

01 / 03 / 2021 | Portia Kgaboesele | National Herbarium Pretoria
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