Plants of the Week

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E.g., 03/12/2024
E.g., 03/12/2024

Loxostylis alata

Loxostylis alata
Common names: Wild Pepper Tree, Tarwood, Tigerwood (Eng.), Wildepeperboom, Breekhout, Tederhout, Teerhout, Tierhout (Afr.), Isibara (Zulu), Isibara (Xhosa)
Family: Anacardiaceae

A small, well-shaped tree with glossy foliage tinged with red when young and masses of white flowers in early summer, and if the tree is a female it has...

27 / 07 / 2001 | Robert Archer |
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Leucadendron teretifolium

Female plant showing cones
Common names: needle-leaf conebush, strawberry conebush (Eng.); waterbossie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Rosy red cones and dense, compact growth, make Leucadendron teretifolium hard to miss, when walking in the veld....

09 / 03 / 2015 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lampranthus amoenus

Dazzling display of flowers
Common names: Darling lampranthus, Darling vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

A robust and reliable succulent shrub that gives a dazzling display of pink/mauve flowers in spring....

16 / 03 / 2015 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lachnaea densiflora

Lachnaea densiflora
Common names: blushing mountain carnation (Eng.); bergangelier (Afr.)
Family: Thymelaeaceae

The rare Lachnaea densiflora flowers in spring along the Palmiet River and in the Klein River Mountains to Bredasdorp in the Western Cape....

15 / 06 / 2015 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG
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Ledebouria petiolata

Ledebouria petiolata
Common names: leopard lily, little white soldiers, small snake lily (Eng.), injobo, ucibicibane (isiZulu)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This wonderful, attractive, small but hardy bulb, previously known as Drimiopsis maculata, is tolerant of neglect and fairly easy to grow, has purple,...

02 / 11 / 2015 | Jermaine Christoffels | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucadendron chamelaea

Leucadendron chamelaea, female.
Common names: Witsenberg conebush
Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron chamelaea is one of the iconic species of the Upper Breede River Valley. This species once occurred commonly in this area, but through the...

22 / 02 / 2016 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Lachnospermum umbellatum

Lachnospermum umbellatum
Common names: rooiblombossie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This little-known species from the extreme southwestern corner of the country thrives in the wet fynbos of the Cape Fold Mountains near the coast. Its...

14 / 03 / 2016 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Ledebouria ovatifolia subsp. ovatifolia

Ledebouria ovatifolia, Weza Ngele
Common names: flat-leaved African hyacinth (Eng.); icubudwana (isiZulu); untanganazibomvu (isiXhosa)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Curious and widespread, a variable, bulbous plant, with unique, broad, flat, usually spotted leaves, which are tightly appressed to the soil surface, and...

18 / 04 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lycium afrum

Lycium afrum (Hedi Stummer)
Common names: kraal honeythorn (Eng.); kraaldoring, kraalkriedoring, slangbessie, bokdoring (Afr.)
Family: Solanaceae

Coming from an economically important family of flowering plants, this is a robust, stiffly branched, moderate sized, thorny shrub, that may grow to be...

25 / 04 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria lepida

Ledebouria lepida
Common names: Waterberg African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A curious dwarf novelty Ledebouria from the Waterberg in the Limpopo Province that is rare in the wild and creates a colourful display of small purple...

09 / 05 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Leucospermum vestitum

Leucospermum vestitum, orange-red flowerheads
Common names: silky-haired pincushion (Eng.); bergluisie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Leucospermum vestitum is a very showy pincushion with greyish foliage and large, two-toned flowerheads that start out bright orange and mature to brilliant...

16 / 05 / 2016 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria crispa

Ledebouria crispa (John N. Trager, Huntington Botanical Garden)
Common names: Polokwane African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although rare in cultivation, this interesting dwarf ledebouria with its narrow, strongly crinkled, green to grey grey-green leaves, makes an attractive...

06 / 06 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria minima

Ledebouria minima
Common names: dwarf African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A dwarf ledebouria, with erect to spreading, grass-like leaves and very small bulbs, usually locally abundant, where it occurs in moist soil in grassland;...

28 / 11 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria marginata

Ledebouria marginata. Verloren Valei.
Common names: tough-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive Ledebouria with erect, fibrous leaves and large bulb, often locally common with regional variations; it occurs over a wide area of the eastern...

23 / 01 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria luteola

Ledebouria luteola
Common names: highveld African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Unusual in cultivation, this bulbous plant, with attractively spotted leaves, can make an interesting collector’s item or curiosity. The species...

20 / 02 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria asperifolia

Ledebouria asperifolia, Buffelskloof Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga.
Common names: rough-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Although this species is seldom seen in cultivation, there are some very attractive forms which have beautiful markings on the leaves. It occurs over a...

06 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria concolor

Ledebouria concolor
Common names: Karoo African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A large and handsome, African hyacinth, with bright green leaves and stout semi-erect, dense flower spikes, that makes a fine pot plant. This attractive...

06 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria parvifolia

Ledebouria parvifolia
Common names: elusive African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A very rare and elusive species seldom seen in its natural habitat due to its small size and remote location in the Mpumalanga Drakensberg, Mpumalanga,...

31 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria remifolia

Ledebouria remifolia
Common names: butterspoon African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A unique, dwarf, bulbous plant which produces spoon-like leaves on a long slender stalk. This small enigmatic species makes a curious container subject...

31 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ledebouria mokobulanensis

Ledebouria mokobulanensis
Common names: Mokobulan African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An enigmatic, rare and range-restricted species from the high-altitude grasslands, on the crests of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg, in Mpumalanga Province,...

31 / 03 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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