Plants of the Week

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E.g., 28/11/2024
E.g., 28/11/2024

Brachylaena elliptica

Brachylaena elliptica flowers are visited by bees (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: bitterleaf, bitterleaved silver-oak, fire-sticks (Eng.); bitterblaar, suurbos (Afr); isiduli; isagqeba, umphahla (IsiXhosa); isiduli-ehlathi, igqeba-e
Family: Asteraceae

This is an attractive small tree or large shrub with interesting aromatic, dark green foliage with greyish silver undersides....

19 / 12 / 2016 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Othonna triplinervia

Othonna triplinervia
Common names: three-veined othonna
Family: Asteraceae

A succulent shrub that flourishes in heavy, winter rainfall areas. Its rounded growth form and velvety foliage, makes this plant a desirable specimen for...

26 / 12 / 2016 | Jermaine Christoffels | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pelargonium rapaceum

Pelargonium rapaceum, unusual pea-flower-like flowers
Common names: mountain potato (Eng.); bergpatat, bergaartappel, norra, norretjie (Afr.); !norra (Nama)
Family: Geraniaceae

This hardy geophytic pelargonium has attractive foliage, unusual flowers and makes an ideal plant for waterwise gardens in winter rainfall areas....

26 / 12 / 2016 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Thespesia acutiloba

Thespesia acutiloba, lemon yellow hibiscus-like flowers in late summer. (Photo Geoff Nichols)
Common names: small-leaved portia tree, wild tulip tree, small-leaved tulip tree (Eng.); kleinblaarportiaboom, kleinblaartulpboom, wildetulpboom (Afr.); umthombe (i
Family: Malvaceae

An attractive tree with handsome foliage, showy lemon-yellow flowers in summer and decorative red fruits. This tree is not well known among the general...

02 / 01 / 2017 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cordylogyne globosa

Cordylogyne globosa, rounded flowerhead
Common names: none
Family: Apocynaceae

Cordylogyne globosa grows from a perennial tuber that looks somewhat like a white carrot, into long, slender stems and leaves, hidden amongst other tall...

02 / 01 / 2017 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Asparagus africanus

Asparagus africanus
Common names: bush asparagus, African asparagus, wild asparagus, climbing asparagus fern, ornamental asparagus, sparrow grass (Eng.); haakdoring, katdoring, wag-’
Family: Asparagaceae

A perennial climber or sub-shrub with woody, prickly, scrambling stems, fern-like foliage, clusters of beautiful small, white, sweetly scented flowers...

09 / 01 / 2017 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Entada rheedii

Entada rheedii has fragrant flowers in spikes up to 230mm long (Photo Geoff Nichols)
Common names: giant sea bean, African dream herb, snuff box (Eng.); reuseseeboontjie, seeboontjie, boonbobbejaantou (Afr.); inkwindi, intindile, umbhone (isiZulu)
Family: Fabaceae

A perennial climbing vine that is used by African traditional healers to induce vivid dreams that enable them to communicate efficiently with their ancestors....

09 / 01 / 2017 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Pelargonium tricolor

Pelargonium tricolor
Common names: three-colour storksbill, three-colour pelargonium (Eng.); gesiggiemalva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

A fascinating, low-growing, floriferous shrublet that displays some of the most amazing natural variation of flower colour forms and shapes....

16 / 01 / 2017 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Fanninia caloglossa

Fanninia caloglossa inflorescence showing the intriguing flowers (Photo Cameron McMaster)
Common names: Fannin’s beauty
Family: Apocynaceae

This monotypic genus (containing only one species) and despite its small stature, is very pretty. It was mentioned by the well-known botanist N.E. Brown,...

16 / 01 / 2017 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria marginata

Ledebouria marginata. Verloren Valei.
Common names: tough-leaved African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive Ledebouria with erect, fibrous leaves and large bulb, often locally common with regional variations; it occurs over a wide area of the eastern...

23 / 01 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Jasminum angulare

Jasminum angulare
Common names: wild jasmine (Eng.); wildejasmyn (Afr.); umalalala (Zulu)
Family: Oleaceae

An evergreen creeper or rambling shrub, with fragrant white flowers in summer; a good garden plant or pot plant for full sun to light shade....

23 / 01 / 2017 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Caesalpinia bracteata

Caesalpinia bracteata
Common names: Gariep plume-flower (Eng.); Gariep pronkstert (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Caesalpinia bracteata represents a fairly recent discovery. It is a rare, thorny shrub with beautiful pink flowers, endemic to the dry desert of the lower...

30 / 01 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Sesamum eriocarpum

Dicerocaryum eriocarpum (Nicola van Berkel, iSpot)
Common names: devil’s thorn (Eng.); beesdubbeltjie, duiwelsdoring, seepbos (Afr.); intekelane (Ndebele); makanagwe (Tswana)
Family: Pedaliaceae

Sesamum eriocarpum is a perennial herb which creeps along the ground in the Kalahari, with beautiful, bright mauve flowers that magnificently compliment...

30 / 01 / 2017 | Lerato Hoveka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Diastella parilis

Diastella parilis
Common names: Worcester silkypuff
Family: Proteaceae

A rounded, fynbos shrublet, with pleasant pink flowers for more than six months, that is suitable for cultivation in containers....

06 / 02 / 2017 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Nerine krigei

Nerine krigei has distinctive erect, spirally twisted leaves (Georg Fritz)
Common names: corkskrew nerine, curly leaved nerine (Eng.); draaiblaar nerine (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

A marvellous bulbous plant that is characterized by distinctive erect, spirally twisted leaves....

06 / 02 / 2017 | Thato Moeketsane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Protea odorata

Protea odorata
Common names: Swartland sugarbush
Family: Proteaceae

A small, champion shrub that produces very pleasant pink flower heads, pointing upwards or sideway of the branches, that have a slight sweet fragrance,...

13 / 02 / 2017 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia globosa

Euphorbia globosa
Common names: globose euphorbia, globose spurge (Eng.); eierpol, knopmelkbol, langbeentjie (Afr.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

The Eastern Cape Province is home to the charming and spineless Euphorbia globosa. This dwarf succulent, from a near distance, appears as an arrangement...

13 / 02 / 2017 | Tandiwe Nkonki | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria luteola

Ledebouria luteola
Common names: highveld African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Unusual in cultivation, this bulbous plant, with attractively spotted leaves, can make an interesting collector’s item or curiosity. The species...

20 / 02 / 2017 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Syncolostemon macranthus

Syncolostemon macranthus
Common names: long-flowered sagebush, long-flowered pink plume
Family: Lamiaceae

An attractive, shrubby perennial, with bright pink to mauve flowers, in summer....

20 / 02 / 2017 | Mpendulo Gabayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Dietes flavida

Dietes flavida (John Manning)
Common names: wood iris, wild iris (Eng.)
Family: Iridaceae

An irid with attractive leaves that is a rewarding garden plant. It has fans of long, narrow and very erect, bluish-green leaves and occasional flowers...

27 / 02 / 2017 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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