Plants of the Week

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E.g., 04/12/2024
E.g., 04/12/2024

Bulbine frutescens

Bulbine frutescens. Photo: G Nichols
Common names: stalked bulbine, snake flower, cat's tail, burn jelly plant (Eng.); balsem kopieva, geelkatstert (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This is a popular, waterwise garden plant, especially when planted en masse as a ground cover, or in rock gardens. It is also cultivated for its medicinal...

22 / 03 / 2004 | Shireen Harris | Free State NBG
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Bulbine cremnophila

Bulbine cremnophila growing on a sandstone cliff in the Baviaanskloof (Eastern Cape) © G. Nichols
Common names: Baviaanskloof cliff bulbine (Eng.); Baviaanskloof kranskopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine cremnophila is a cliff hugger growing in small clusters with hanging leaves and yellow flowers during spring. It thrives in cultivation in containers...

10 / 01 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine capitata

Bulbine capitata flowers
Common names: scented grass-bulbine, narrow-leaved bulbine (Eng.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

That striking, luminous yellow flower showing off in the grasslands during spring is the beautiful Bulbine capitata, a perennial herb with slender, grass-like...

28 / 11 / 2022 | Rofhiwa Ingrid Mudau | Pretoria NBG
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Bulbine angustifolia

Bulbine angustifolia
Common names: narrow-leaved bulbine, slender bulbine, golden lily (Eng.); rooistamper, kopieva, katstert, koorsbossie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine angustifolia is a stunning plant with delicate, bright yellow flowers and slender leaves, that can add a touch of beauty to any garden or landscape....

22 / 05 / 2023 | Rofhiwa Ingrid Mudau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Bulbine abyssinica

Flowers
Common names: bushy bulbine (Eng.); geelkatstert, wildekopieva (Afr.); ibhucu (Zulu); intelezi (Xhosa); moetsa-mollo (Sotho)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The bushy bulbine, Bulbine abyssinica, is a hardy, water-wise plant that offers a brilliant yellow display when in flower. Inflorescences with...

06 / 11 / 2006 | Ronell R. Klopper | Pretoria NBG
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Buddleja salviifolia

Buddleja salviifolia
Common names: sagewood, butterfly bush, mountain sage (Eng.); saliehout (Afr.); ewanci, ilotana, igqange (Xhosa); igwangi, iloshane, ilothane, ilotshane, mupambati
Family: Scrophulariaceae

This small tree is deliciously scented in early spring....

06 / 08 / 2001 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Buddleja saligna

Inflorescence
Common names: false olive (English); witolien (Afrikaans); umBatacwepe (Siswati); lelothwane (South Sotho); mothlware (Tswana); unGqeba (Xhosa); iGqeba-elimhlope (Z
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Buddleja saligna is a tree up to 10 m tall in warm moist areas but usually 4 to 5 metres in Highveld areas. ...

07 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Buddleja loricata

Buddleja loricata
Common names: mountain sagewood (Eng.); bergsaliehout (Afr.); Lelora (Southern Sotho); umngane (Zulu)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Mountain sagewood is an interesting Buddleja for small gardens or town houses, particularly those inland at higher altitudes. It has a tidy, rounded shape,...

21 / 03 / 2005 | Luambo David Rambuwani | Free State NBG
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Buddleja glomerata

B.glomerata
Common names: Karoo sagewood, sneezebush, cockroach (Eng.); Karoo-salie, kakkerlak, hoesbos, niesbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

The Karoo sagewood is an attractive foliage plant with silvery, scalloped leaves and heads of yellow flowers during spring and summer. It forms a small...

25 / 10 / 2004 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Buddleja dysophylla

Buddleja dysophylla flowers attract flying insects including bees
Common names: white climbing sagewood (Eng.), witranksaliehout (Afr.); umhlabangubo (isiXhosa)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A large, scrambling shrub with showy heads of sweet-scented, white flowers in winter, that are visited by bees and butterflies....

04 / 03 / 2024 | Ofentse Naanyane | Free State NBG
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Buddleja auriculata

Flowers
Common names: Weeping Sage (Eng.), Treursalie (Afr.), Utile (isiXhosa)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG
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Bryum argenteum

Bryum argenteum
Common names: silver moss, silvery threads moss
Family: Bryaceae

Bryum argenteum is one of the most cosmopolitan mosses found throughout South Africa. It is most easily recognized by its whitish or silvery green leaves....

05 / 05 / 2008 | Nonkululo Phephu | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Bryomorphe aretioides

Flowering
Common names: None
Family: Asteraceae

Many hikers have probably seen this strange looking plant growing on the rocks in the Cape Mountains and wondered what it is. It looks very much like a...

13 / 09 / 2004 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Brunsvigia radulosa

Brunsvigia radulosa
Common names: candelabra flower (Eng.); kandelaarblom, misryblom (Afr.); Lemathla (Southern Sotho)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia radulosa is a very striking bulbous plant of the family Amaryllidaceae that grows and flowers spectacularly in summer, from December to February,...

25 / 07 / 2005 | Clare Archer | Pretoria NBG
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Brunsvigia pulchra

Brunsvigia pulchra
Common names: Namaqualand tulip, torch candelabra (Eng.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia pulchra is a rarer member of the genus, restricted to the more arid, semi-desert region of Namaqualand. There is a striking contrast between...

18 / 11 / 2024 | Gianpaolo Gilardi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brunsvigia orientalis

Brunsvigia orientalis
Common names: candelabra flower, red candelabra flower, king candelabra, chandelier lily, chandelier plant, sore-eye flower (Eng.), ajuinbol, koningskandelaarblom,
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia orientalis is one of the exciting surprises experienced in the late summer, when little else is flowering. The emergence of large pinkish...

17 / 03 / 2003 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Brunsvigia natalensis

Brunsvigia natalensis
Common names: Natal candelabra flower (Eng.); kandelaarblom (Afr.); umbhola (Zul.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

A striking bulbous plant, endemic to southern Africa, with large umbels bearing 30 to 60, attractive, red or pale pink flowers....

14 / 06 / 2021 | Mulweli Maswoliedza | Compton Herbarium
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Brunsvigia josephinae

Brunsvigia josephinae
Common names: candelabra lily (Eng.); kandelaarblom, lantanter (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This plant has by far the biggest bulb and inflorescence among the geophytes in South Africa. Its large striking umbels are easily visible in the veld...

09 / 08 / 2004 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert 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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Brunsvigia

Brunsvigia bosmaniae; Photo Colin Paterson-Jones
Common names: candelabra flower (Eng.); kandelaarblom, Maartblom (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The sheer exuberance of brunsvigias flowering en masse is a natural spectacle that should not be missed....

18 / 04 / 2005 | D Snijman | Kirstenbosch NBG
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