Plants of the Week

Cannabis sativa

Common names: marijuana (Eng.); dagga (Afr.); Umya (Xhosa); Matekwane/Patse (Northern Sotho); Nsangu (Zulu)

Family: Cannabaceae

Current legislation prohibits the cultivation, possession and trade in cannabis in South Africa. This page is being posted for information purposes only...

09 / 08 / 2004 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria

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

Xylotheca kraussiana

Male flower X. kraussiana © Geoff Nichols

Common names: African dog rose (Eng.); umbalekani, isishwashwa (Zulu); umdubu (Xhosa); Afrikaanse hondsroos (Afr.)

Family: Achariaceae

The African dog rose, Xylotheca kraussiana, is a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that forms a good focal point in a garden with its beautiful flowers...

02 / 08 / 2004 | R Williams | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Pelargonium crithmifolium

Common names: samphire-leaved pelargonium (Eng.); jakopregopbossie, dikstam-malva, gnom, kana (Afr.)

Family: Geraniaceae

This plant is the granddaddy of all pelargoniums, as it is one of the bulkiest plants in the Pelargonium group. In cultivation at the Karoo Desert...

02 / 08 / 2004 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Gnidia squarrosa

Common names: saffron bush (Eng.); aandbossie, juffertjie-roer-by-die nag (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Gnidia squarrosa has attractive, multicoloured winter-spring flowers that will fill your garden with perfume in the evenings....

02 / 08 / 2004 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium echinatum

Common names: prickly-stemmed pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium echinatum is one of the most beautiful winter flowering pelargoniums. It is a stocky, compact, succulent perennial shrublet with spines...

26 / 07 / 2004 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Colpias mollis

Common names: klipblom (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

26 / 07 / 2004 | Hester Steyn | Pretoria NBG

Cannomois virgata

Common names: bell reed, rekoala (Eng.); bergbamboes, besemriet,olifantsriet, perdehoef, assegaai (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

Cannomois virgata is a fast-growing reed-like plant and is the only member of the genus to be found on the Cape Peninsula....

26 / 07 / 2004 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agapanthus inapertus subsp. intermedius

Common names: Dyer's agapanthus

Family: Agapanthaceae

This Agapanthus was previously known as Agapanthus dyeri. It is an almost mythical agapanthus, very rarely seen in cultivation. It grows in two isolated...

19 / 07 / 2004 | Richard Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ilex mitis

Common names: African holly, Cape holly, wild holly, water tree (Eng.); waterboom, waterhout, without (Afr.); monamane (Northern Sotho); iPhuphuma (Zulu), umDuma (X

Family: Aquifoliaceae

The African Holly has attractive bark and berries. It grows throughout the country, making it suitable for colder, frosty gardens too....

19 / 07 / 2004 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Gethyllis

Fruit of G.grandiflora. Image:C.Paterson-Jones

Common names: kukumakranka (Eng.); koekoemakranka, bramakranka (Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Gethyllis, a genus of the family Amaryllidaceae, has such unusual foliage, flowers and fruits that it ranks as one of the most fascinating groups of bulbous...

19 / 07 / 2004 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium

Raphia australis

Common names: Kosi palm (Eng. & Afr.); umVuma (Zulu); iMali (Ronga)

Family: Arecaceae

Palms have the largest leaves of all trees, and Raphia has the largest leaves of all palms. One species of these monsters is indigenous to South Africa,...

12 / 07 / 2004 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Encephalartos inopinus

E. inopinus (female):Photo: Nat Grobbelaar

Common names: Lydenburg cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

This unusual, attractive African cycad (comparable to the Mexican companion Dioon or a Cuban Microcycas) tolerates both sun and frost, making...

12 / 07 / 2004 | T Mukoma | Lowveld NBG

Canthium inerme

Common names: turkey-berry; common turkey-berry; criss-cross turkey-berry; Cape date (Eng.); gewone bokdrol; doringels (Afr.); umvuthwamini (Xhosa, Zulu); umnyushul

Family: Rubiaceae

The ecological and cultural aspects of this tree, its lovely aesthetic qualities and its relatively widespread distribution in southern Africa, make this...

12 / 07 / 2004 | Jan-Hakon Burring | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hyphaene coriacea

Common names: lala palm, ilala palm, gingerbread tree, fan palm (Eng.); lalapalm, palmboom, waaierpalm (Afr.); Lala-Palme (German); Lilala (Swati); Nnala (Tsonga);

Family: Arecaceae

Could large scale exploitation of lala palms make a significant contribution to the economy of northern Zululand? Almost all parts of this very common...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Euphorbia ingens

Common names: common tree Euphorbia (Eng.); naboom, gewone naboom (Afr.); mohlohlokgomo, mokgoto (Northern Sotho); unHlonhlo (Sw); Nkondze, Nkonde (Tswana)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

If you are looking for a low maintenance addition to a rock or suulent garden this large cactus-like tree is ideal. It is well suited to dry areas and...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG

Curtisia dentata

Common names: assegai (Eng.); assegaai (Afr.); uSirayi, umGxina (Xhosa); umLahleni (Xhosa, Zulu); uMagunda, uMaginda, umBese, umPhephelelangeni (Zulu); iliNcayi, is

Family: Cornaceae

Curtisia dentata is a handsome, evergreen tree with beautiful foliage that looks good throughout the year. It has great potential as a garden tree, an...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Rothmannia capensis

Common names: wild gardenia, common Rothmannia (Eng.); wildekatjiepiering (Afr.); modulatshwene (Northern Sotho); mukubudu (Venda); umPhazane-mkhlu (Zulu); iBolo (X

Family: Rubiaceae

Rothmannia capensis is one of the loveliest indigenous trees for the home garden. It attracts birds and it has a non-aggressive root system. ...

28 / 06 / 2004 | J K Baloyi | Pretoria NBG

Adenium multiflorum

Common names: impala lily, Sabie star, kudu lily (Eng.); impalalelie (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Adenium multiflorum is the best known of the South African adeniums. It flowers in winter when most of the surrounding vegetation is rather dull by comparison...

28 / 06 / 2004 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Stoebe

Common names: hartebeeskaroobos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Not everyone will recognize members of this genus as belonging to the Asteraceae. There are no showy ray flowers and the white or pink disc flowers are...

21 / 06 / 2004 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

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