Plants of the Week

Monopsis lutea

Common names: yellow monopsis, gold lobelia; geel lobelia (Afr.)

Family: Lobeliaceae

The riot of bright yellow flowers covering this trailing groundcover makes it an absolute must for colour in the garden in summer. The pretty flowers resemble...

23 / 12 / 2013 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Lachenalia alba

Common names: white lachenalia (Eng.), witviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia alba has a restricted distribution and is only know from the Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia areas, where it grows in colonies....

23 / 12 / 2013 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG

Watsonia humilis

Common names: waxy watsonia (Eng.); waspypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Watsonia humilis is a beautiful late-spring flowering cormous plant endemic to the southwestern Cape. Although highly threatened in the wild, successful...

09 / 12 / 2013 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Olea capensis

Common names: (subsp. capensis ) small ironwood , black ironwood, buchuwood, buckutree, false ironwood (Eng.); kleinysterhout , basterswartysterhout, basterysterhou

Family: Oleaceae

Happy the grandchild who inherits a garden shaded by a black ironwood tree, for they have grandparents of great foresight and intelligence. These trees...

09 / 12 / 2013 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Salvia schlechteri

Common names: Xobo Valley sage

Family: Lamiaceae

Little is known about Salvia schlechteri, but with its unusual foliage and pale blue flowers, it deserves a place amid a herbaceous border or summer...

02 / 12 / 2013 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Mimusops obovata

Common names: red milkwood (Eng.); rooimelkhout (Afr.); amaSethole-ehlathi, umNolwe, umPhumbulu, (isiZulu); umTunzi wehlathi (isiXhosa)

Family: Sapotaceae

Mimusops obovata is an evergreen tree with sweetly scented whitish yellow flowers to which bumblebees are attracted. Flowers are follwed by edible...

02 / 12 / 2013 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Viscum crassulae

Common names: Spekboom mistletoe, Spekboom-voelent

Family: Santalaceae

Viscum crassulae is a rounded, succulent shrublet growing as a parasite on branches of Portulacaria afra (spekboom). It is easily grown by placing its...

01 / 12 / 2013 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ledebouria zebrina

Common names: giant false scilla; giant African hyacinth

Family: Hyacinthaceae

This large attractive bulbous plant is the largest of all the ledebourias, the handsome broad leaves which are often marked with dark purple-brown...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Hyperacanthus amoenus

Common names: Thorny gardenia (Eng.); Doringkatjiepiering (Afr.); Murombe (Tshivenda); Bembethu (Sesotho); isibhembedu, umbambangwe, umthembezwana (isiZulu); isende

Family: Rubiaceae

This shrub or small tree with its glossy green foliage and pretty flowers is an attractive option for gardeners looking to expand their collection of indigenous...

25 / 11 / 2013 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Streptocarpus dunnii

Common names: red nodding bells Cape primrose (Eng.); olifantsoor (Afr.)

Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus dunnii is a star in its own right. Its bright orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers render it beautiful and exceptional, as most Streptocarpus...

18 / 11 / 2013 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Myrothamnus flabellifolius

Common names: resurrection plant (Eng.); opstandingsplant (Afr.); uvukakwabafile (isiZulu); umazifisi (Ndebele)

Family: Myrothamnaceae

The leaves of the resurrection plant shrink and appear to be dead in the dry season, but miraculously turn green within a few minutes after exposure to...

18 / 11 / 2013 | Mandisa Kondlo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Lobelia jasionoides

Common names: No well known common name.

Family: Lobeliaceae

This charming, herbaceous, perennial groundcover with masses of tiny lilac and white flowers is suited to light shady places but will also grow in full...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Crinum macowanii

Common names: river crinum, river lily, common vlei-lily, Sabie crinum, Cape coast lily (Eng.); rivierlelie, boslelie, Sabielelie (Afr.); intelezi (isiXhosa); umduz

Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Senecio speciosissimus

Common names: none

Family: Asteraceae

Senecio speciosissimus boasts attractive flower heads of pink to mauve flowers from July to December, although it seems to flower more abundantly during...

03 / 11 / 2013 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG

Erica halicacaba

Common names: bladder-heath, gooseberry heath

Family: Ericaceae

Erica halicacaba is a unique species with no close relatives in the genus Erica. It is notable for its unusual growth form, its particular niche...

03 / 11 / 2013 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Saltera sarcocolla

Common names: saltera, Cape fellwort, vlieëbos

Family: Penaeaceae

Saltera sarcocolla belongs to the Penaeaceae, which is a family confined to the fynbos region. Despite interesting variations in plant and flower...

28 / 10 / 2013 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Empodium elongatum

Common names: autumn star

Family: Hypoxidaceae

Autumn stars, elusive among grasses, are spotted by their bright yellow starry flowers....

28 / 10 / 2013 | N Mahvungu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Syncarpha vestita

Common names: cape snow, white everlasting (Eng.); witsewejaartjie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

At the height of its flowering, this relatively short-lived, woolly shrublet forms masses of beautiful white flowerheads that shine in the bright light...

21 / 10 / 2013 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium