Plants of the Week

Barleria albostellata

Common names: grey barleria (Eng.); grysbarleria, fluweelblaarbosviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

This medium to large shrub produces beautiful white tubular flowers in spring and summer. In addition, the velvety grey leaves create a wonderful colour...

29 / 01 / 2007 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Dewinteria petrophila

Common names: Kaokoveld klipblom (Afr.)

Family: Pedaliaceae

Dewinteria petrophila is remarkable for its amazing reproduction on cliff faces. Apart from producing normal leaves, fruits and wind-dispersed seed,...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albizia adianthifolia var. adianthifolia

Common names: flat-crown albizia, rough-bark flat-crown, West African albizia (Eng.); platkroon (Afr.); umgadankawu, iGowane, umNalahanga, umNebelele, uSolu (Zulu);

Family: Fabaceae

Are you looking for a fabulous shade tree, rich in a unique cultural history and adored by elephants and butterflies alike? Then look no further than the...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Alicia Krige | National Herbarium Pretoria

Thunbergia alata

Common names: black-eyed susan (Eng.); swartoognooi (Afr.) ; isiPhondo (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

In much of the warmer world, Thunbergia alata, or black-eyed susan, is well known as a fast-growing, long-flowering, friendly creeper. In South Africa...

15 / 01 / 2007 | S Smithies | Pretoria NBG

Muraltia heisteria

Common names: spiky purple gorse (Eng.); kastybos, persblommetjie (Afr.)

Family: Polygalaceae

Muraltia heisteria is unknown to many people, yet it has so much potential as a garden plant, bringing colour, texture and charm to the garden. It...

15 / 01 / 2007 | Marga Den Hartigh | Kirstenbosch NBG

Plectranthus zuluensis

Common names: Zulu spurflower ( Eng. ); Zoeloespoorsalie, Zoeloemuishondblaar (Afr.).

Family: Lamiaceae

The delicate blue flowers and velvety leaves of Plectranthus zuluensis make this easily grown shrub a winner for those difficult shady areas in summer...

08 / 01 / 2007 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Moringa ovalifolia

M.ovalifolia growing on Brandberg, Namibia

Common names: phantom tree, ghost tree, African moringo (Eng.); sprokiesboom, meelsakboom (Afr.); Omutindi (Herero); Oluhongwe (Ovambo)

Family: Moringaceae

Moringa ovalifolia is a decorative, thickset, succulent-stemmed, erect tree of the dry, desert and semi-desert areas of Namibia. It can be seen on...

08 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tylecodon ellaphieae

Common names: Rosyntjieberg-nenta (Afr.)

Family: Crassulaceae

Tylecodon ellaphieae is one of 46 species in the genus Tylecodon, all endemic to the winter rainfall region of South Africa and Namibia....

01 / 01 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Erythrina latissima

Common names: broad-leaved coral tree (Eng.); breëblaarkoraalboom, grootblaar (Afr.); umnqwane, umsintsi (Xhosa); umqwabagqwaba, umqongqazi (Zulu); mokhupye (North

Family: Fabaceae

This most unusual of the South African Erythrina species is an interesting tree with major bird-attracting potential....

01 / 01 / 2007 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Sandersonia aurantiaca

Common names: Christmas bells (Eng.); geelklokkie (Afr.); ushayabhici (Zulu); ihlamvu (Zulu)

Family: Colchicaceae

Seldom seen in cultivation in southern Africa, the highly ornamental, lantern-like flowers of Sandersonia aurantiaca are universally admired,...

25 / 12 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Platycarpha

Common names: imboziza, inyathelo, imbozisayabesuthu (Zulu for P. glomerata )

Family: Asteraceae

Platycarpha is a relatively unknown genus of three species endemic to southern Africa. The plants are unusual because the inflorescences occur in the...

25 / 12 / 2006 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ficus abutilifolia

Common names: large-leaved rock fig, rock wild fig (Eng.); grootblaarrotsvy, klipvy (Afr.); inkokhokho, impayi, ubambematsheni (Zulu); momelantsweng (Tswana); tshik

Family: Moraceae

The conspicuous white to yellow roots and stems of the large-leaved rock fig are an impressive sight, well adapted to hugging rock faces and splitting...

18 / 12 / 2006 | Jan-Hakon Burring | Pretoria NBG

Dalbergia obovata

Common names: climbing flat bean (Eng.); bobbejaankoudoring, rankplatboontjie (Afr.); udukuduku, isibandhlube, uphandlazi (Zulu); umzungu, umzungulu (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

...

18 / 12 / 2006 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ursinia anthemoides subsp. anthemoides

Common names: mountain marigold ( Eng. ); bergmagriet, ringmagriet (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Ursinia anthemoides, with its bright yellow flowers, catches the eye wherever it is planted. In spring the plants make a mass display, especially in Niewoudtville...

11 / 12 / 2006 | N Swelankomo | National Herbarium Pretoria

Arctotis fastuosa

Common names: Namaqualand arctotis, Iceland daisy, Namaqua marigold, double Namaqualand daisy (Eng.); Namakwagousblom, bittergousblom (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis fastuosa with large colourful flowers, is an easy-to-grow annual from the dry Namaqualand region....

11 / 12 / 2006 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tritoniopsis triticea

Common names: mountain pipes (Eng.); rooibergpypie, klipuintjie, berguintjie, karkarblom (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

A bright red, spiky-looking flower growing among the fynbos in a dry rocky area, caught my eye as I was walking along the contour path above Kirstenbosch...

04 / 12 / 2006 | Xolelwa Lusithi | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diplorhynchus condylocarpon

Common names: Rhodesian rubber tree, horn-pod tree, wild rubber (Eng.); horingpeultjieboom, horingpeulbos, melkbos (Afr.); mutowa (Shona); tsowa (Tsonga); ntsowa, m

Family: Apocynaceae

Diplorhynchus condylocarpon grows either as a shrub or as a small, graceful tree with drooping branches. Although it is seldom found in gardens, the...

04 / 12 / 2006 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Stapelia

Common names: carrion flower (Eng.); aasblom (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Known globally as African starfish flowers, and locally as carrion flowers, members of the genus Stapelia are usually characterised by their...

27 / 11 / 2006 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Passerina corymbosa

Common names: gonna bush (Eng.); gonnabos, bakkerbos (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Passerina corymbosa, a medium to tall shrub covered in masses of small creamy flowers, is fast-growing and would be a welcome addition to any fynbos...

27 / 11 / 2006 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pavetta lanceolata

Common names: weeping bride's bush, forest bride's bush, bridal bush, Christmas bush ( Eng.); treurbruidsbos, bruidsbos (Afr.); umhleza, ilitoba, umgonogono, umphon

Family: Rubiaceae

In full flower, Pavetta lanceolata looks like a bride adorned in pure white, full of expectation and hope for a long and happy life, hence the...

20 / 11 / 2006 | Paul Herman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Browse through all previous entries of Plants Of The Week

Pages

Pages