Plants of the Week

Leucadendron strobilinum

Common names: Peninsula conebush

Family: Proteaceae

Leucadendron strobilinum is an eye-catching shrub that is ideal for display in a fynbos garden....

02 / 01 / 2012 | Olivia Tyambetyu | Kirstenbosch NBG

Coddia rudis

Common names: small bone apple (Eng.); kleinbeenappel (Afr.); umDondwane (Zulu); siKhwakhwane (Siswati); tshinapanapana (Venda)

Family: Rubiaceae

Coddia rudis is usually a short, aromatic, evergreen, dense, multi-stemmed and fairly fast growing shrub....

31 / 12 / 2011 | K w Sepheka | National Herbarium Pretoria

Lachenalia lutea

Common names: common dwarf yellow viooltjie

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia lutea is a heavily sweet-scented indigenous hyacinth with pale to bright yellow flowers....

26 / 12 / 2011 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

Citrullus lanatus

Common names: tsamma melon, wild watermelon (Eng.); bitterboela, bitterwaatlemoen, karkoer (Afr.); t'sama (Khoisan); makataan (Tswana)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

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26 / 12 / 2011 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Coleus grandidentatus

Common names: big-teeth coleus, scented-leaf coleus (Eng.); groottandsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

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19 / 12 / 2011 | Kyle Smith | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria senensis

Common names: none recorded

Family: Acanthaceae

A hardy indigenous plant suitable for any sunny spot in your garden....

19 / 12 / 2011 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Senecio macrocephalus

Common names: ngoakoane-ea-loti, sebea-mollo (South Sotho); ihlaba lenkomo (Xhosa); mountain senecio (Eng.)

Family: Asteraceae

Senecio macrocephalus is one of the first large pink-flowered senecios to flower in the grassveld in early spring and often shows up as large patches...

12 / 12 / 2011 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Aloe chlorantha

Common names: Fraserburg aloe, green-flower aloe (Eng.); Fraserburgaalwyn (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe chlorantha is a medium-sized aloe from Fraserburg in the Karoo, at once distinguished by its erect solitary inflorescence, up to 1.6 m high,...

12 / 12 / 2011 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Withania somnifera

Common names: winter cherry (Eng.); bitterappelliefie, geneesblaarbossie, koorshout (Afr.); bofepha (Sotho); ubuvuma (Xhosa); ubuvimbha (Zulu); ashwagandha (Hindi).

Family: Solanaceae

Fruits of this plant were found in a floral collar of the innermost coffin of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. (Mabberley 2008 : 911)....

05 / 12 / 2011 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Erica clavisepala

Common names: club heath, Cape Point marsh heath

Family: Ericaceae

Erica clavisepala is a rare decorative little heath, well suited to fynbos gardens and those on the sandy flats....

05 / 12 / 2011 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Haemanthus canaliculatus

Common names: channel-leaved haemanthus

Family: Amaryllidaceae

In late summer or early autumn, after fires have swept through some of the swampy areas near the sea in the Hangklip area, you may be lucky enough to see...

28 / 11 / 2011 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Erica shannonii

Common names: bottle heath, Countess of Shannon's erica (Eng.); bottelheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica shannonii is one of the most spectacular ericas with its long porcelain-white flowers arranged in clusters at the ends of its branches....

28 / 11 / 2011 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Watsonia vanderspuyiae

Common names: bergsuurkanol (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Watsonia vanderspuyiae is a robust geophyte with bright red tubular flowers. It attracts sunbirds and is an ideal candidate for large fynbos gardens,...

21 / 11 / 2011 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Harveya squamosa

Common names: None recorded

Family: Orobanchaceae

Harveya squamosa is a strange root parasite, commonly seen with the whole plant coloured a glorious red to orange or, rarely, all sulphur yellow,...

21 / 11 / 2011 | J Ready | Pretoria NBG

Aloe haemanthifolia

This plant is now called Kumara haemanthifolia....

14 / 11 / 2011 | | Pretoria NBG

Protea rubropilosa

Common names: transvaal sugarbush, transvaal mountain protea, red velvet protea, escarpment protea (Eng.); transvaalbergsuikerbos (Afr.); segwapi (Sotho)

Family: Proteaceae

The transvaal sugarbush is a striking protea. It has a neat habit and provides year round interest in the garden....

14 / 11 / 2011 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG

Kumara haemanthifolia

Common names: haemanthus-leaf aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Kumara haemanthifolia is a peculiar and interesting aloe. Its tightly arranged leaves with red to pinkish margins resemble a fan or the pages of a partly...

14 / 11 / 2011 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG