Plants of the Week

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E.g., 23/12/2024
E.g., 23/12/2024

Erica sparsa var. sparsa

Erica sparsa in flower
Common names: pink-smoke heath, ker-ker
Family: Ericaceae

Erica sparsa is a free-flowering, relatively easy-to-grow, fynbos shrub that produces masses of small flowers in late summer, autumn and winter, that turn...

09 / 02 / 2015 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Roella muscosa

Plant in flower
Common names: None recorded
Family: Campanulaceae

Roella muscosa is a flat-growing, herbaceous plant, with beautiful, pale icy blue flowers, growing rather inconspicuously among rocks in sand, and is found...

09 / 02 / 2015 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium
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Dracaena transvaalensis

Dracaena transvaalensis in flower at Botanical Society Conservatory Kirstenbosch
Common names: Wolkberg dragon tree (Engl.); Wolkbergdrakeboom, dolomiet-drakeboom (Afr.)
Family: Ruscaceae

Dracaena transvaalensis is a medium-sized, aloe-like tree. It has large, elongated, ascending leaves arranged in central rosettes. The large inflorescence...

16 / 02 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Turraea floribunda

Tree in flower
Common names: honeysuckle-tree, wild honeysuckle-tree (Eng.); kanferfoelieboom (Afr.); umdlozana (Swazi); umadlozane (isiZulu)
Family: Meliaceae

This is a slender, elegant tree that is ideal for small subtropical and tropical gardens. The tracery of leafless branches is covered in spring with a...

16 / 02 / 2015 | John Manning | Compton Herbarium
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Erica sociorum

Bush of Erica sociorum in flower
Common names: Noordhoek cliff heath, partner heath, companion heath
Family: Ericaceae

Erica sociorum is the most localized of all Cape Peninsula endemic ericas, and only found growing in a very limited area on cliffs above Noordhoek....

23 / 02 / 2015 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. ladismithiensis

Cotyledon tomentosa subsp.ladismithiensis
Common names: Ladismith bear’s paw
Family: Crassulaceae

Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. ladismithiensis is a medium-sized shrub, with succulent, hairy leaves and stems. It occurs in rock outcrops, shallow soil and...

23 / 02 / 2015 | Ntuthuko Mabuya | Karoo Desert NBG
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Duvernoia adhatodoides

Common names: pistol bush (Eng.); pistoolbos (Afr.); ihlwalane, isepheka, ihlwehlwe (Xhosa); uthabe, lothabe (Zulu)
Family: Acanthaceae

Duvernoia adhatodoides is now Justicia adhatodoides ...

02 / 03 / 2015 | | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aloe striata subsp. karasbergensis

Rosette of Aloe striata subsp. karasbergensis
Common names: Karasberg aloe (Eng.); Karasbergaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe striata subsp. karasbergensis is one of two less known, but equally striking, subspecies of Aloe striata. This particular subspecies is well known...

02 / 03 / 2015 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Leucadendron teretifolium

Female plant showing cones
Common names: needle-leaf conebush, strawberry conebush (Eng.); waterbossie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Rosy red cones and dense, compact growth, make Leucadendron teretifolium hard to miss, when walking in the veld....

09 / 03 / 2015 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aspalathus quartzicola

Flowers of Aspalathus quartzicola
Common names: No reported common names.
Family: Fabaceae

Aspalathus quartzicola is one of few species that occur in quartz patches (quartz-silcrete outcrops); a very specialized habitat, hence its species name....

09 / 03 / 2015 | Dewidine van der Colff | CREW
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Lampranthus amoenus

Dazzling display of flowers
Common names: Darling lampranthus, Darling vygie
Family: Aizoaceae

A robust and reliable succulent shrub that gives a dazzling display of pink/mauve flowers in spring....

16 / 03 / 2015 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hessea mathewsii

Flowering in  habitat
Common names: hessea
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The ethereal umbrella of star-shaped flowers fluttering in the wind, is the ‘stuff fairytales are made of’! Although, quite small, Hessea mathewsii,...

16 / 03 / 2015 | Brittany Arendse | CREW
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Barleria bremekampii

Flowers of barleria bremekampii
Common names: hedgehog barleria (Eng.)
Family: Acanthaceae

If you are looking for a water-wise prickly  hedge or barrier plant, Barleria bremkampii is your answer....

23 / 03 / 2015 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Metalasia aurea

Metalasia aurea flowers. Photo Adriaan Grobler
Common names: golden metalasia, yellow metalasia (Eng.); geelsteekbossie, geelblombos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Metalasia aurea has the most unusual flower colour for Metalasia, and may be seen when travelling along the N2 freeway from Humansdorp to Port Elizabeth....

23 / 03 / 2015 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbinella eburniflora

Flowers of Bulbinella eburniflora
Common names: bleekkatstert (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbinella eburniflora is a vulnerable species from the Bokkeveld Plateau, threatened with habitat loss due to ploughing and livestock grazing....

30 / 03 / 2015 | Eugene Marinus | Hantam NBG
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Gasteria barbae

Gasteria barbae growing in crevice
Common names: Hakerville gasteria
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria barbae is an exciting, new discovery confined to the coastal cliffs near Hakerville in the Knysna District. It has small rosettes of leaves covered...

31 / 03 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Vernonia natalensis

Family: Asteraceae

This plant is now called Hilliardiella aristata...

01 / 04 / 2015 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pavonia praemorsa

Flowers
Common names: yellow mallow
Family: Malvaceae

Year-round, pretty lemon-yellow hibiscus-like flowers, that each only last for a day, on a low, maintenance hardy, indigenous shrub, with lots of potential...

06 / 04 / 2015 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Barleria monticola

Barleria monticola in flower
Common names: mountain barleria (Eng.); berg barleria (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

This is a lovely groundcover for a sunny spot in your garden, especially if you live in a frosty area....

06 / 04 / 2015 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Cephalophyllum parviflorum

Cephalophyllum parviflorum in flower
Common names: Tygerberg trailing-vygie (Eng.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Cephalophyllum parviflorum is one of the lesser-known species in the vygie family; it is predominantly a dwarf, trailing, succulent ground cover, hence...

13 / 04 / 2015 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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