Plants of the Week

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E.g., 15/01/2025
E.g., 15/01/2025

Dierama reynoldsii

Dierama reynoldsii
Common names: This species does not appear to have a common name of its own, but the genus Dierama is known as hairbells, fairybells, wandflowers; grasklokkies (Afr
Family: Iridaceae

Just imagine the impact of a 'bulb' with flowers the colour of red wine (a young Shiraz , in particular), arising from bracts like the silver stem...

27 / 06 / 2005 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Faidherbia albida

Flowers and leaves
Common names: ana tree (Eng.); anaboom (Afr.); mogabo (Sepedi); mokosho (Setswana); umHlalankwazi (IsiZulu); muhoto (Venda)
Family: Fabaceae

This relatively drought-resistant tree makes an interesting specimen if planted in a park. It can survive occasional frost (up to 5 days per year)....

20 / 06 / 2005 | Joseph Aobakwe Difoloko | Pretoria NBG
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Cassine peragua

Colourful berries of Cassine peragua
Common names: Cape saffron, bastard saffron, false saffron, bastard saffronwood (Eng.); bastersaffraan, lepelhout (Afr.); iKhukhuzi (Xhosa); umKhukhuze, umBofanyamo
Family: Celastraceae

Cassine peragua is a medium-sized tree suitable for suburban gardens, with fragrant flowers and decorative, bird-attracting fruits, but its most attractive...

20 / 06 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acridocarpus natalitus

Flowers
Common names: moth-fruit, the binder (Eng.); motvrug (Afr.); umabophe, umabophawentaba, umabopha and ihlalanyosi (isiZulu)
Family: Malpighiaceae

Its beautiful flowers and fruit make this evergreen shrub or small tree an appealing garden subject which should be in most gardens in the warmer and coastal...

20 / 06 / 2005 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Morella cordifolia

Male bush in bud
Common names: wax berry, candle berry (Eng.); wasbessie, wasbessiebos, wasbossie, glashout (Afr.); ilethi (Zulu)
Family: Myricaceae

The wax berry is an interesting addition to the garden, ideal for coastal and/or sandy gardens, and if you like plants with a long history of use to mankind...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gardenia cornuta

Flowers and fruit
Common names: Tonga gardenia, Natal gardenia, horned gardenia (Eng.); wilde-appel, Tongakatjiepiering, Natalkatjiepiering (Afr.); umhlahle, unomphumela, umvalasangw
Family: Rubiaceae

The spectacular, large white and yellow flowers with their sweet scent, attracts passersby from a distance to this small, much-branched tree. The smooth,...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Mkhipheni Ngwenya | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Senegalia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha

Leaves and seedpods
Common names: white-stem thorn (Eng.); witdoring (Afr.); mooka, mpho-kamagwa (Northern Sotho); xigatlu, nkowankowa (Tswana)?; tshikwalo (Venda); umnga (Xhosa)
Family: Fabaceae

This is one of the most attractive acacias in Africa. It often has one stem with branching commencing fairly high up, and a neat flattish crown. It has...

13 / 06 / 2005 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Mimusops zeyheri

Fruits
Common names: Transvaal red milkwood (Eng.); moepel (Afr.); mmupudu (Northern Sotho); umpushane (Zulu); nhlantswa (Tsonga); mubululu (Venda)
Family: Sapotaceae

The Transvaal red milkwood has gained its popularity with people, birds as well as monkeys and baboons through its tasty fruit which are sweet and high...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Lagenaria siceraria

Lagenaria siceraria
Common names: bottle gourd, calabash (Eng.); kalbas (Afr.); moraka (North Sotho); segwana (Tswana); iselwa (Xhosa, Zulu)
Family: Cucurbitaceae

...

06 / 06 / 2005 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Acmadenia obtusata

Flowering branch
Common names: dune porcelain flower ( Eng. ); duineboegoe, steekboegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

Acamadenia obtusata forms a variable shrub, displaying floriferous pink flowers with aromatic foliage. Characteristic of the citrus family are oil...

06 / 06 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gasteria acinacifolia

Flowers
Common names: coast ox-tongue (Eng.); kus-beestong (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria acinacifolia is the largest of all Gasteria species, strictly coastal and ideal for coastal gardens. It is at once recognized by its large rosette...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cynoglossum hispidum

Cynoglossum hispidum
Common names: hound's tongue (Eng.); beestongblaar, knoppiesklitsbossie, ossetongblaar (Afr.); bohomenyana (Southern Sotho)
Family: Boraginaceae

This is a biennial or perennial herb with small, drooping, purplish red flowers. It is characterized by loosely branched inflorescences and fruits...

30 / 05 / 2005 | Elizabeth Retief | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Berchemia zeyheri

Ripening fruits. Image Geoff Nichols
Common names: red ivorywood, purple ivory, pink ivory (Eng.); rooi-ivoor, rooihout (Afr.); monee (Sesothosa Leboa); umNeyi (siSwati); xiniyani (Xitsonga); moye (Set
Family: Rhamnaceae

The Berchemia zeyheri tree is valuable to the people, animals and birds of South Africa....

30 / 05 / 2005 | Avhurengwi Phillemon Ndou | 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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Momordica cardiospermum

Green fruits and leaves
Common names: bitter gourd (Eng.); inshubaba (siSwati); ntwe (seTswana)
Family: Cucurbitaceae

This climber has a foetid smell, but makes up for it with showy orange-yellow flowers and large, fleshy, bulging orange-red ripe fruits that...

23 / 05 / 2005 | M Welman | Pretoria NBG
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Athrixia phylicoides

Flowers of Athrixia phylicoides
Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.); Boesmanstee (Afr.); Icholocholo, itshelo, umthsanelo (isiZulu)
Family: Asteraceae

This is a stunning plant that has a great horticultural potential in cultivation. Its beautiful flowers and the soft texture of the leaves make it an asset...

23 / 05 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sceletium tortuosum

Sceletium tortuosum
Common names: kanna, tortuose fig marigold (Eng.); kanna, kougoed, tandtrekbos (Afr.); kanna (Khoi)
Family: Aizoaceae

Sceletium tortuosum is one of the oldest mesembs known to the western world. It became known to the early colonizers of the Cape in the 17th century and...

16 / 05 / 2005 | Pascale Chesselet | Compton Herbarium
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Crassula ovata

Crassula ovata
Common names: kerky bush, jade plant, pink joy (Eng.); beestebul, kerkij, kerky, plakkies (Afr.); t'karkai (Khoi); umxhalagube (X) (= Crassula argentea, C. portula
Family: Crassulaceae

This is probably the most commonly grown crassula in South Africa and well-known as a container plant all over the world, both indoors and outdoors....

16 / 05 / 2005 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bauhinia tomentosa

Flowers
Common names: Yellow Bauhinia (Eng) Geelbeesklou (Afr): IsiThibathibana (Zulu)
Family: Fabaceae

This medium to large shrub with its attractive, light green, two-lobed leaves produces beautiful, bright yellow flowers with black to maroon coloured centres...

16 / 05 / 2005 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Trichodesma physaloides

Chocolate bells
Common names: Chocolate Bells
Family: Boraginaceae

Drooping flowers with large, brownish purple calyces and white corollas characterise this plant which is conspicuous in early spring, especially where...

09 / 05 / 2005 | Elizabeth Retief | National Herbarium Pretoria
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