Plants of the Week

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E.g., 12/02/2025

Euphorbia flanaganii

Euphorbia flanaganii
Common names: Transkei medusa’s head, Flanagan’s euphorbia (Eng.); vingerpol (Afr.); nhlehle, isihlehle (Zul.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

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04 / 03 / 2019 | Ntuthuko Mabuya | Pretoria NBG
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Euphorbia cupularis

Euphorbia cupularis leaves.  Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: dead-man’s tree, crying tree (Eng.); dooiemansboom, gifboom (Afr.); umdlebe, umdletshane (isiZulu); sidlejane (isiSwati); mulamba-noni (Tshivenda)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia cupularis is a compact succulent shrub or small tree characterized by multiple stems and a rounded growth habit. Its striking emerald-green foliage...

11 / 09 / 2023 | Nthabiseng Lucia Masetla | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Euphorbia cooperi

Fruiting branches image ©Geoff Nichols
Common names: bushveld candelabra tree (Eng.); norsdoring (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia cooperi is a succulent tree up to 7 m tall, with conspicuous candelabra-like branches. This plant has milky latex highly poisonous to humans...

28 / 02 / 2005 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Euphorbia clivicola

Family: Euphorbiaceae

This is a critically endangered, low-growing succulent perennial endemic to the Limpopo Province. It has short, spiny, 4-angled branches arising from an...

30 / 04 / 2012 | Lerato Hoveka | CREW
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Euphorbia clavarioides

Euphorbia clavarioides
Common names: lion’s spoor (Eng.), grootvingerpol, slangpol, melkpol (Afr.), isihlekehleke, isantilele (isiZulu), sehlehle, sehloko, thethebale (Sesotho)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia clavarioides is a succulent perennial that forms neat, cushion-like clumps of tightly packed stems, just above ground level, with beautiful yellow...

20 / 09 / 2021 | Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Euphorbia bupleurifolia

Euphorbia bupleurifolia
Common names: cycad spurge, pine cone plant (Eng.); melkbol (Afr.); intsele, insema (Xho.); inkamamasane, insema (Zul.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Resembling a pine cone, pineapple or, some may say, a cycad, Euphorbia bupleurifolia is one interesting Euphorbia....

20 / 05 / 2019 | Sibahle Gumede | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Euphorbia barnardii

Euphorbia barnardii
Common names: mokgwakgwatha (Pedi)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia barnardii is an unusual succulent shrub endemic to the Limpopo Province....

26 / 05 / 2008 | Pethole Manyama | CREW
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Euphorbia

Euphorbia mauritanica in flower
Common names: spurges, euphorbias
Family: Euphorbiaceae

The great charm of the South African euphorbias lies in their varied appeal. They offer something for every taste. A collection may comprise a few selected...

11 / 04 / 2005 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Eumorphia prostrata

Eumorphia prostrata
Common names: silver cloud
Family: Asteraceae

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09 / 11 / 2015 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eulophia welwitschii

Eulophia welwitschii inflorescence
Common names: umlunge (Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

This attractive orchid makes a striking display in summer with its bright yellow inflorescence, especially when occurring in dense stands. It is often...

26 / 01 / 2009 | Beate Hölscher | Pretoria NBG
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Eulophia speciosa

Close-up of Eulophia speciosa
Family: Orchidaceae

With its fairly large, bright yellow flowers,  Eulophia speciosa, one of the most common and widespread southern African eulophias, is a rewarding...

22 / 11 / 2004 | H Kurzweil | Compton Herbarium
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Eulophia horsfallii

Eulophia horsfallii
Family: Orchidaceae

Eulophia horsfallii ( sometimes called E.rosea) is a magnificent, tall-growing, purple-flowered orchid found in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo...

12 / 05 / 2003 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eulophia ensata

This plant is now listed as Orthochilus ensatus....

14 / 04 / 2014 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eugenia natalitia

Eugenia natalitia
Common names: forest myrtle (Eng.); bosmirt (Afr.); mukavha-mahunguvhu, murambo-thavha, musiri, tshitawatawane (Venda); umthintane, umbhovane, imanzana (Zulu); inch
Family: Myrtaceae

If you want your garden to be bursting with butterflies, bees and birds (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t), then this is the plant for you!...

18 / 10 / 2021 | Rowan Wilson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis zambesiaca

Eucomis zambesiaca
Common names: Zambezi pineapple flower, tropical pineapple lily (Eng.); witpynappellelie (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This stunner, is one of the smaller, and pleasantly scented species of Eucomis and the only one that occurs only in Limpopo province....

24 / 10 / 2022 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Eucomis vandermerwei

Eucomis vandermerwei
Common names: spotted-leaf eucomis
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Eucomis vandermerwei is a threatened alpine bulb with unusual maroon, fetid flowers and dark green leaves with deep maroon markings and strongly wavy...

30 / 04 / 2012 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis sonnetteana

Eucomis sonnetteana
Common names: Morgenzon pineapple lily
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This jewel of Mpumalanga is one of the dwarf pineapple lilies, so named, because their flowerheads resemble a pineapple. This one is a recently discovered...

11 / 04 / 2022 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Eucomis schijffii

Eucomis schijffii
Common names: miniature eucomis
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Eucomis schijffii is an alpine bulb with a striking rosette of bluish-grey leaves and a short raceme of purplish-maroon, fetid blooms. It is frost-hardy...

25 / 07 / 2011 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis regia

Eucomis regia
Common names: western dwarf pineapple flower
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This is the only winter rainfall Eucomis and its flowering pattern is precisely opposite to all the other pineapple lilies. It is also one of the few species...

26 / 08 / 2019 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Eucomis pallidiflora subsp. pole-evansii

Eucomis pallidiflora subsp. pole-evansii
Common names: giant pineapple lily
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This is the largest of all pineapple lilies in the world. The tall flower spike together with its long leaves, are the reason why it is so popular....

25 / 03 / 2019 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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