Plants of the Week

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E.g., 25/11/2024
E.g., 25/11/2024

Erica jasminiflora

Erica jasminiflora
Common names: jasmine heath (Eng.); trompetheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica jasminiflora forms an erect spindly shrub growing up to 600 mm high. ...

24 / 02 / 2003 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Englerophytum magalismontanum

Fruit. Photo: Geoff Nichols
Common names: Transvaal milkplum (Eng.); stamvrug (Afr.), motlhatswa (Tswana); mohlatswa (Northern Sotho); munombelo (Venda); amanumbela (Zulu); umnumbela (Swati) O
Family: Sapotaceae

This species is better known by its Afrikaans name, stamvrug and is one of South Africa's more popular veld fruits, a thirst quencher to...

24 / 02 / 2003 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG
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Harpochloa falx

Harpochloa falx - caterpillar grass
Common names: caterpillar grass (Eng.), ruspergras (Afr.)
Family: Poaceae

The caterpillar grass, Harpochloa falx, is a wonderful garden plant, which forms neat, dark green tussocks which persist throughout the year and produce...

17 / 02 / 2003 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Gardenia thunbergia

Gardenia thunbergia
Common names: white gardenia, forest gardenia, wild gardenia (Eng.), witkatjiepiering, buffelsbal, kannetjieboom (Afr.), umKhangazi (Xhosa), umValasangweni, umKhwak
Family: Rubiaceae

...

17 / 02 / 2003 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Catha edulis

Catha edulis: Photo G Nichols
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
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Ficus sur

Fruits and tbark of Ficus sur
Common names: broom cluster fig (Eng.); besem-trosvy (Afr.); mogo-tshetlo (North Sotho); umkhiwane (Xhosa); umkhiwane (Zulu)
Family: Moraceae

The broom cluster fig is a key element in the environment providing medicine, food, shade and shelter for all nature of animals, large and small. This...

10 / 02 / 2003 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Dracaena aletriformis

Dracaena aletriformis
Common names: large-leaved dragon tree; grootblaardrakeboom (Afr.)  
Family: Ruscaceae

The large-leaved dragon tree is a wonderful, showy foliage plant with large strap-shaped leaves in rosettes at the tips of the branches, ideal for shady...

10 / 02 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Adansonia digitata

Baobab in the dry season
Common names: baobab, Cream of Tartar tree, monkey-bread tree, lemonade tree (Eng.); kremetartboom(Afr.); isimuku, umShimulu, isiMuhu (Zulu); ximuwu (Tsonga); mowan
Family: Malvaceae

Regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world, the baobab tree is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in...

10 / 02 / 2003 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Pterocarpus angolensis

Seedpod Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: kiaat, bloodwood, paddle-wood, sealing-wax tree, wild teak, Transvaal teak (Eng.); kiaat, bloedhout, dolfhout, greinhout, kajatenhout, lakhout, wilde-
Family: Fabaceae

A brown and papery, spiky, fried egg is what the seed pod of this beautiful tree looks like. The pods remain on the tree long after the leaves have fallen...

03 / 02 / 2003 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Crassula streyi

Crassula streyi
Common names: Pondo cliff crassula (Eng.); pondo-plakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

This forest jewel with deep green and red leaves grows in the deep shade of the coastal forest growing the sandstone cliffs of the Pondoland river gorges....

03 / 02 / 2003 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Celtis africana

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
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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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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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Rhus chirindensis

In fruit. Photo:Geoff Nichols

This tree is now called Searsia chirindensis....

27 / 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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Vernonia hirsuta

This plant is now called Hilliardiella hirsuta....

23 / 01 / 2003 | | KwaZulu-Natal 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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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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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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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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