Plants of the Week

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E.g., 13/11/2024
E.g., 13/11/2024

Capparis tomentosa

Capparis tomentosa (Graham Grieve, iSpot)
Common names: woolly caper bush (Eng.), wollerige kapperbos, wag-‘n-bietjie (Afr.), inkunzi-ebomvu, iqwaningi, umqoqolo, ukhokhwana, umabusane (isiZulu), imfishlo
Family: Capparaceae

Capparis tomentosa is a decorative garden plant that is used for hedging in many rural communities in South Africa. Its most popular common name, wag-‘n-bietjie...

10 / 10 / 2016 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Crossyne guttata

Crossyne guttata (Hedi Stummer)
Common names: parasol lily, April fool lily (Eng.); sambreelblom (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This is a popular winter growing bulb, chosen mostly for its broad leaves that are fringed with brown hair-like bristles....

01 / 08 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Commiphora harveyi

Commiphora harveyi in habitat, Oribi Gorge (Geoff Nichols).
Common names: copper-stem corkwood, red-stem corkwood (Eng.); koperstamkanniedood, rooistamkanniedood (Afr.); umhlunguthi, ulonwabo (isiXhosa); iminyela, umbumbunga
Family: Burseraceae

An interesting tree because of its unusual appearance of silky, copper-like bark that peels in large flakes; a great specimen for making bonsai trees and...

14 / 08 / 2017 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cussonia sphaerocephala

Cussonia sphaerocephala
Common names: forest cabbage-tree, Natal forest cabbage tree (Eng.); boskiepersol (Afr.); umsenge-wehlathi (isiXhosa & isiZulu); umsenge (siSwati)
Family: Araliaceae

A highly ornamental, fast-growing tree, with rounded heads atop tall, slender stems developing into magnificent specimens, but don’t plant it near...

21 / 01 / 2019 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Combretum vendae

Combretum vendae var. glabratum  (Wynand Uys, iSpot)
Common names: Venda bushwillow (Eng.); vendaboswilg (Afr.); gopo-gopo, gopokopo-bani (Venda)
Family: Combretaceae

...

19 / 09 / 2016 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cannomois grandis

Cannomois grandis, female plant
Common names: giant river-reed, large bell reed, grand Cape-reed, rekoala, pokers (Eng.); bergbamboes, besemriet, besemgoed, olifantsriet, perdehoef, assegaai (Afr.
Family: Restionaceae

...

17 / 10 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Commelina benghalensis

Commelina benghalesis (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Benghal dayflower, tropical spiderwort, Benghal wandering Jew (Eng.); blouselblommetjie (Afr.); lala-tau, khopo-e-nyenyane, khotsoana (Sesotho); uhlot
Family: Commelinaceae

Commelina benghalesis is a common, widespread weed found throughout southern Africa, tropical Africa and Asia and it is difficult to eradicate in cultivated...

24 / 10 / 2016 | Aluwani Tshiila | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Crassula capitella

leaves mature from lime-green to bright red
Common names: red flames (Eng.); aanteelrosie (Afr.); bohobe babadisana (Sesotho)
Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula capitella is a stunning succulent that looks fantastic in rockeries and landscape gardens. It is used ornamentally to add a permanent colour in...

31 / 10 / 2016 | Fergy Nkadimeng | Pretoria NBG
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Cordylogyne globosa

Cordylogyne globosa, rounded flowerhead
Common names: none
Family: Apocynaceae

Cordylogyne globosa grows from a perennial tuber that looks somewhat like a white carrot, into long, slender stems and leaves, hidden amongst other tall...

02 / 01 / 2017 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Caesalpinia bracteata

Caesalpinia bracteata
Common names: Gariep plume-flower (Eng.); Gariep pronkstert (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Caesalpinia bracteata represents a fairly recent discovery. It is a rare, thorny shrub with beautiful pink flowers, endemic to the dry desert of the lower...

30 / 01 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chaenostoma hispidum

Chaenostoma hispidum
Common names: bristly skunkbush (Eng.); stinkbossie (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A small, aromatic, perennial shrublet with attractive white, pink to mauve star-shaped flowers in summer, good for garden borders....

03 / 04 / 2017 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cephalaria pungens

Cephalaria pungens
Common names: none kown
Family: Dipsacaceae

Attractive cream, white or pale yellow flower heads, with protruding greyish anthers, attracts you from afar, especially when growing gregariously and...

10 / 04 / 2017 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Crocosmia paniculata

Crocosmia paniculata
Common names: zigzag crocosmia (Eng.); waaierlelie (Afr.); khala-ea-bokone, moloke (Sesotho); undwendwi, umlunge (Zulu)
Family: Iridaceae

Crocosmia paniculata is a robust, deciduous geophyte with sculptural, zig-zag flower spikes and attractive, pleated leaves that make it a strong accent...

24 / 04 / 2017 | John Manning | Compton Herbarium
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Cirsium vulgare

Cirsium vulgare
Common names: Scottish thistle, spear thistle (Eng.); skotse dissel (Afr.); hlaba (Sesotho); ntsoa-ntsane (Setswana)
Family: Asteraceae

Cirsium vulgare is mostly regarded as a weed or undesirable plant. However, the plants are very attractive and offer lots of rewards for butterflies and...

08 / 05 / 2017 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Cichorium intybus

Cichorium intybus
Common names: blue dandelion, chicory (Eng.); sigorei (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Most people will only admire this pretty, blue-flowered weed along roads and in abandoned fields and not know its other useful properties. Although mostly...

19 / 06 / 2017 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Cephalanthus natalensis

Cephalanthus natalensis
Common names: strawberry bush, tree-strawberry, quinine berry (Eng.); witaarbeibos, witpruim (Afr.); mothotwe, motlholobu (Northern Sotho); murondo, mutsanda (Tshiv
Family: Rubiaceae

...

07 / 08 / 2017 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG
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Cerastium arabidis

Cerastium arabidis
Common names: snow flower (Eng.); qoqobalasaloti (Sesotho)
Family: Caryophyllaceae

Unlike other members in the carnation family, Cerastium arabidis is barely known, yet its simple leaves and continuing flushes of pretty,...

31 / 07 / 2017 | Maxine Manickum | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Clivia miniata var. citrina

Clivia miniata var. citrina ‘Kirstenbosch Yellow’
Common names: yellow clivia, yellow bush lily (Eng.); geelboslelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Clivia miniata var. citrina is a horticulturally outstanding spring-flowering perennial, with a colourful history in cultivation. Grown worldwide for its...

02 / 10 / 2017 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cleretum bellidiforme

Cleretum bellidiforme in cultivation (Graham Duncan).
Common names: Buckbay-vygie, Livingstone Bokbayfig, Livingstone Daisy (Eng.); bokbaaivygie, sandvygie, skilpadkos, ysplant (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Cleretum bellidiforme, previously Dorotheanthus bellidiformis, is one of South Africa’s most famous wildflower exports, grown worldwide for its dazzling,...

23 / 10 / 2017 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chironia krebsii

Chironia krebsii (Nick Helme)
Common names: Kreb’s chironia (Eng.); khomoeasephatla, mamorolane, mosia (Sesotho); umanqunduswazi, umbangwangwa (isiZulu)
Family: Gentianaceae

A beautiful perennial with striking pink flowers with prominent yellow anthers....

20 / 11 / 2017 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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