Plants of the Week

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E.g., 06/12/2024
E.g., 06/12/2024

Syzygium guineense

Stem of Syzygium guineense
Common names: woodland waterberry, waterpear (Eng.); waterpeer (Afr.); umdoni (isiNdebele)
Family: Myrtaceae

This is a lovely medium-sized to large evergreen tree with a smooth greyish-white single stem on young trees and beautiful purplish-red young leaves. This...

02 / 09 / 2013 | Kuphumla Zenze | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sesamum sp. aff. reniforme

Flowers with seed capsule forming © P Winter
Common names: Limpopo foxglove
Family: Pedaliaceae

One of several previously undocumented species in the dry savanna of Limpopo Province, the Limpopo foxglove yearns for the bit of limelight it surely deserves....

19 / 09 / 2005 | Pieter Winter | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Salix mucronata

Salix mucronata
Common names: Safsaf Willow, Cape Willow, (E) Safsaf-wilger, Kaapse Wilger, Wildewilgerboom (A), Munengeledzi (V), Mogokare (NS), Umngcunube (X), Umnyezane, Umzekan
Family: Salicaceae

A graceful tree that withstands both frost and drought....

01 / 01 / 2001 | Y Reynolds | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Schotia afra var. afra

Schotia afra var.afra
Common names: Karoo boer-bean (Eng.), Karoohuilboerboon (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

This delightful, small, water-wise tree is a must for the home gardener who wants an attractive evergreen tree. ...

10 / 03 / 2003 | Roger Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG
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Searsia chirindensis

In fruit. Photo:Geoff Nichols
Common names: red currant (Eng.); bos-taaibos (Afr.); motha-thaa (North Sotho); umhlakothi (Xhosa); inhlokoshiyane enkulu (Xhosa); muvhadela-phanga (Venda)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The red currant, Searsia chirindensis, is an attractive, African tree with lovely reddish autumn foliage. It is common throughout the eastern part...

27 / 01 / 2003 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Searsia ciliata

Image of S. ciliata leaves
Common names: sour karee (Eng.); suurkaree (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia ciliata is one of the more modest members of this popular group of garden plants which hybridize easily. This species, like several others in the...

22 / 09 / 2003 | Shireen Harris | Free State NBG
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Searsia dentata

Searsia dentata: Photo copyright Geoff Nichols
Common names: nana-berry ( Eng. ); nanabessie (Afr.); inKlolo (Xhosa); Lebelebele (Sotho); Umkungu (Ndebele)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The nana-berry, Searsia dentata, is an attractive shrub indigenous to South Africa with showy, lovely yellow to orange-red foliage in autumn. It is a common...

19 / 09 / 2005 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG
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Searsia discolor

Searsia discolor
Common names: grassveld currant ( Eng. ); grasveld taaibos (Afr.); Koppshane, mohlohlooane (Southern Sotho)?; inhlangushane (Sw)?; Inkobesehlungulu, intlokotshane,
Family: Anacardiaceae

This attractive shrub is grown mainly for its fine foliage. Along with several other species in this genus, it is overlooked as a garden plant. Very little...

14 / 03 / 2005 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG
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Searsia erosa

Searsia erosa tree
Common names: Broom karee, Besembos
Family: Anacardiaceae

The Free State is a haven for many different plant species, one of the most interesting in the family Anacardiaceae being Searsia erosa and it grows well...

28 / 10 / 2002 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG
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Searsia lancea

Searsia lancea tree
Common names: karee (Eng.); karee, rooikaree (Afr.); mokalabata, monhlohlo, motshakhutshakhu (N.Sotho); inhlangutshane (Siswati); mosinabele, mosilabele (S.Sotho);
Family: Anacardiaceae

The karee is a small- to medium-sized evergreen tree that usually grows to a height of 7 m and a width of 7 m but can be larger depending on environmental...

03 / 06 / 2002 | Marc Stern | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Searsia leptodictya

Characterful shape of Searsia leptodictya
Common names: mountain karee, rock karee ( Eng. ); bergkaree, klipkaree (Afr.); inHlangushane (siSwati); Mohlwehlwe (Northern Sotho)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The mountain karee is an essential 'bird-garden' tree, which also makes a good frost-hardy, and drought-tolerant shade tree. Another special feature...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Searsia pendulina

Searsia pendulina
Common names: White Karee, Willow Karee, River Karee (English), Witkaree, Rivierkaree, Kareehout, Kareeboom Rosynebos, Rosyntjiebos, Wilderosyntjieboom (Afrikaans),
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia pendulina is a perfect tree for the suburban garden, it is quick and easy to grow, tolerates wind and drought, is evergreen with a graceful habit...

17 / 01 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia pyroides

Unripe fruits.Photo Copyright Geoff Nichols
Common names: common wild currant, fire-thorn karree (Eng.); gewone taaibos (Afr); motshakhutshakhu (North Sotho); koditshane (South Sotho); mogodiri (Tswana); muta
Family: Anacardiaceae

To the gardener who likes variety in the garden, Searsia pyroides should not be left out. This is a good species to provide textural variation in your...

19 / 02 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Senecio barbertonicus

Flowerhead
Common names: succulent bush senecio, Barberton senecio, Barberton groundsel, Barberton coltsfoot, lemon bean bush, finger-leaved senecio
Family: Asteraceae

When everything else seems dead and dry on the Highveld, this plant flowers in abundance. The deep yellow flowers are sought after by many insects during...

18 / 08 / 2014 | Cynthia Mikateko Baloyi | Pretoria NBG
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Serruria fasciflora

Flowers
Common names: common pin spiderhead; speldespinnekopbos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Serruria fasciflora is a beautiful shrublet that produces sweetly scented, silvery pink flowers all year round; definitely a very rewarding garden...

25 / 08 / 2014 | Phumza Bavuma | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strelitzia reginae

Strelitzia reginae
Common names: crane flower, bird of paradise, orange strelitzia (Eng.); isigude (Nguni); kraanvoëlblom (Afr.)
Family: Strelitziaceae

Strelitzia reginae is one the most popular horticultural perennials around the world. It flowers for long periods with its vivid orange and bright...

26 / 02 / 2001 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strumaria phonolithica

Plant in flower
Common names: none known
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Strumaria phonolithica is a rare and interesting autumn- and early winter-flowering bulb endemic to southwestern Namibia. Its ornamental leaf fans and...

21 / 07 / 2014 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Syncolostemon obermeyerae

Syncolostemon obermeyerae
Common names: Soutpansberg sagebush, pink sagebush (Eng.); Soutpansbergsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Syncolostemon obermeyerae is a fast growing, much branched shrub which can grow to 1,8m tall....

30 / 04 / 2001 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Syncolostemon transvaalensis

Syncolostemon transvaalensis bush in flower
Common names: Mpumalanga sagebush (Eng.), Mpumalangasalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Syncolostemon transvaalensis is decorative, pleasantly aromatic and easy to grow....

05 / 11 / 2001 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Serruria adscendens

Bush in flower
Common names: Kleinmond spiderhead
Family: Proteaceae

Serruria adscendens is an attractive, rounded shrub of slopes and flats, in the coastal fynbos between Betty's Bay and Bredasdorp in the Western Cape....

17 / 11 / 2014 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG
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