Plants of the Week

Catha edulis

Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.); Boesmanstee (Afr.); umhlwazi (Zulu); iqgwaka (Xhosa); khat (Arabic)

Family: Celastraceae

This is a very attractive, small deciduous tree, with bright green leaves that turn to a pleasing yellowish colour in autumn. Its beauty is also complemented...

17 / 02 / 2003 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Celtis africana

Common names: white stinkwood; witstinkhout (Afr.); umVumvu (Xhosa); uSinga lwesalukazi (Zulu); Modutu (Sotho & Tswane); Mpopano (Venda)

Family: Cannabaceae

There is no doubt that this is an excellent tree to use in a landscape, and it is a rewarding garden tree. It gives shade in summer, and is fast and easy...

03 / 02 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cenchrus ciliaris

Common names: foxtail buffalo grass (Eng.); bloubuffelgras (Afr.)

Family: Poaceae

Cenchrus ciliaris is a perennial, tufted grass. The inflorescence is a bristly 'spike' (like a cat's tail) and is nearly always purple to...

31 / 05 / 2010 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria

Cephalophyllum alstonii

Common names: rankvygie (Afr.)

Family: Aizoaceae

Cephallophyllum alstonii is a creeping perennial succulent, ideal as a ground cover, or as a pot plant on a patio. The spectacular, brightly coloured...

09 / 07 / 2007 | Shireen Harris | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ceratotheca triloba

Common names: wild foxglove, African foxglove, false foxglove (Eng.); vingerhoedblom, wildevingerhoedjie (Afr.); ludvonca, udonqa (SiSwati); udonqa, undoncalwabathw

Family: Pedaliaceae

Ceratotheca triloba is now known as Sesamum trilobum...

05 / 03 / 2001 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ceropegia ampliata

Common names: Bushman's Pipe (Eng.); Boesmanspyp (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Members of the genus Ceropegia are characterized by tubular flowers specially adapted for the temporary capture of insects for pollination purposes. The...

03 / 05 / 2004 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Chaenostoma cordatum

Common names: Trailing phlox (Eng.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Chaenostoma cordatum is the ideal groundcover for that garden spot with varying microclimates. Performing equally well in full sun to shady conditions...

15 / 12 / 2008 | Roger Oliver | Pretoria NBG

Chaenostoma pauciflora

Common names: trailing phlox; rankende floks (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

This is an attractive, dainty-looking, trailing perennial groundcover with small, triangular, dark leaves and tiny white flowers....

12 / 08 / 2013 | Sthembile Zondi | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Chascanum cernuum

Common names: None recorded

Family: Verbenaceae

Chascanum cernuum is a fine-leaved herbaceous perennial covered with whitish flowers for most of the year. It is well-suited to coastal gardens and light...

26 / 07 / 2010 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Chasmanthe aethiopica

Common names: small chasmanthe, small cobra lily (Eng.); suurkanolpypie, klein piempiempie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

This attractive species is one of the earliest of the Cape bulbs to flower, its spikes of orange, tubular flowers providing welcome interest to the winter...

21 / 02 / 2005 | John Manning | Compton Herbarium

Chasmanthe bicolor

Common names: red-and-green cobra lily, two-colour chasmanthe (Eng.), suurkanol, suurkanolpypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Chasmanthe bicolor is a highly ornamental garden subject, which stands out from the other two species in this genus. It is one of three species in the...

21 / 04 / 2008 | Bernard Brown | Kirstenbosch NBG

Chasmanthe floribunda 'Duckittii'

Common names: yellow cobra lily, yellow chasmanthe, Duckitt chasmanthe (Eng.); geelpiempiempie, geelkapelpypie, geelsuurkanolpypie, geelpypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Chasmanthe floribunda ''Duckittii' is an attractive deciduous, winter-growing, cormous geophyte with fresh green sword-shaped leaves and spikes...

16 / 07 / 2001 | Jacqueline Esau | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cheiridopsis denticulata

Common names: t'noutsiama (Nama)

Family: Aizoaceae

Oh, it's flowering time: it's really awesome to see what mesembs look like when blooming in their natural habitat....

15 / 04 / 2013 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG

Cheiridopsis purpurea

Common names: cheiridopsis

Family: Aizoaceae

Cheiridopsis purpurea is a small succulent endemic to the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape, with brilliant, intense, magenta-pink flowers....

02 / 04 / 2012 | Lize Wolfaardt | Karoo Desert NBG

Chironia baccifera

Common names: Christmas berry (Eng.); aambeibossie, bitterbossie (Afr.)

Family: Gentianaceae

Chironia baccifera is not only a highly ornamental plant, but also one that has many medicinal uses even though it is poisonous to stock....

05 / 04 / 2004 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

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

Chlorophytum comosum

Common names: hen-and-chickens, spider plant (Eng.); hen-en-kuikens (Afr.); iphamba (Zulu)

Family: Agavaceae

Chlorophytum comosum is a perennial lily-like plant with tuberous roots, bearing spreading to recurved soft leaves from a central rosette and an elongated...

05 / 11 / 2012 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Chlorophytum saundersiae

Common names: weeping anthericum (Eng.); watergras (Afr.)

Family: Agavaceae

Chlorophytum saundersiae is a popular garden plant and is used extensively by landscape gardeners. It has a pleasing grass-like appearance making it a...

13 / 05 / 2013 | A Johannsmeier | Pretoria NBG