Plants of the Week

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E.g., 05/10/2024
E.g., 05/10/2024

Kumara plicatilis

Kumara plicatilis
Common names: fan aloe, Franschhoek aloe (Eng.); waaieraalwyn, Franschoekaalwyn, bergaalwyn, tongaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Kumara plicatilis is a unique and striking much-branched shrub or small tree. This plant was previously called Aloe plicatilis....

01 / 01 / 2003 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Aptosimum procumbens

Aptosimum procumbens
Common names: carpet flower, Karoo violet (Eng.); kankerbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

An ideal water-wise ground-cover plant for dry gardens, Aptosimum procumbens is one of the treasures of the arid and semi-arid parts of South Africa....

01 / 01 / 2003 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Acacia galpinii

This tree is now known as Senegalia galpinii...

01 / 01 / 2003 | | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aloe plicatilis

This plant is now called Kumara plicatilis....

01 / 01 / 2003 | | Karoo Desert NBG
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Haworthia maxima

01 / 01 / 2003 | | Karoo Desert NBG
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Vernonia glabra

This plant is now called Linzia glabra....

01 / 01 / 2003 | | Karoo Desert NBG
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Brachylaena discolor

Seed heads
Common names: Coast silver oak (E), Kusvaalbos (Afr.), Phahla (isiZulu), Mphahla (N.Sotho), umPhahla (isiXhosa)
Family: Asteraceae

...

06 / 01 / 2003 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Leucospermum saxosum

Flowerheads
Common names: escarpment pincushion
Family: Proteaceae

This pincushion is the only one in South Africa not growing in the winter rainfall area of the Western Cape. This is a summer rainfall species to be found...

06 / 01 / 2003 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG
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Pentanisia prunelloides

Pentanisia prunelloides
Common names: wild verbena, broad-leaved Pentanisia (Eng.); sooibrandbossie (Afr.); icimamlilo (Zulu)

This beautiful blue grassland flower, which attracts butterflies, shows great potential as a garden plant. Widespread in southern Africa, and used extensively...

06 / 01 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Chironia linoides

Chironia linoides
Common names: Cape centaury, bitterwortel (Afrikaans)
Family: Gentianaceae

Flowering during the warm summer months, usually from Christmas until late February, Chironia linoides adds splashes of colour to the garden. The plants...

13 / 01 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Afrocarpus falcatus

Podocarpus falcatus
Common names: Outeniqua yellowwood (English), Outeniekwageelhout, kalander (Afrikaans), umkhoba, umgeya (Xhosa), mogôbagôba (Northern Sotho), umsonti (Zulu).
Family: Podocarpaceae

This fast-growing, majestic yellowwood with its elegant shape is certainly a tree for all seasons and all gardens. It is an excellent container plant and...

13 / 01 / 2003 | Nick Klapwijk | Pretoria NBG
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Hilliardiella hirsuta

Hilliardiella hirsuta
Common names: Quilted-leaved Vernonia (E), Wildesonsoekertjie (A), ikhambi lenyongo (Z)
Family: Asteraceae

The striking deep purple flowers and silvery quilted leaves of Hilliardiella hirsuta make it a very desirable plant for an indigenous summer border. ...

13 / 01 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Senegalia galpinii

Senegalia galpinii
Common names: monkey-thorn (Eng.), Tshikwalo (Tshivenda), apiesdoring (Afr.), Molopa (North Sotho)
Family: Fabaceae

This is a large tree with luxuriant, light green foliage, making it ideal for a big garden, avenue or park. It is also valued by farmers.  This tree...

20 / 01 / 2003 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Pretoria NBG
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Colophospermum mopane

Leaves and pods
Common names: mopane, turpentine tree (Eng.); mopanie (Afr.); mohlanare (Northern Sotho); mophane (Tswana)
Family: Fabaceae

These beautiful trees with their distinctive butterfly-shaped leaves and strange seeds are, for many, the essence of South Africa's lowveld areas,...

20 / 01 / 2003 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Gasteria polita

Flowers
Common names: polished gasteria, polished ox tongue
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria polita is a recently discovered species that is both attractive and easy to grow.   ...

20 / 01 / 2003 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Vernonia hirsuta

This plant is now called Hilliardiella hirsuta....

23 / 01 / 2003 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dracosciadium italae

Insect on D.italae
Family: Apiaceae

This little-known member of the carrot family from KwaZulu-Natal makes an unusual and interesting addition to indigenous gardens....

27 / 01 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Rhus chirindensis

In fruit. Photo:Geoff Nichols

This tree is now called Searsia chirindensis....

27 / 01 / 2003 | | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Linzia glabra

Linzia glabra
Common names: wild heliotrope
Family: Asteraceae

Linzia glabra is a strong-growing, herbaceous perennial that flowers throughout the summer, producing masses of flowers that look like little mauve...

27 / 01 / 2003 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia chirindensis

In fruit. Photo:Geoff Nichols
Common names: red currant (Eng.); bos-taaibos (Afr.); motha-thaa (North Sotho); umhlakothi (Xhosa); inhlokoshiyane enkulu (Xhosa); muvhadela-phanga (Venda)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The red currant, Searsia chirindensis, is an attractive, African tree with lovely reddish autumn foliage. It is common throughout the eastern part...

27 / 01 / 2003 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG
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