Plants of the Week

Mystacidium capense

Common names: iphamba (Zulu)

Family: Orchidaceae

This delicate epiphytic orchid, a mini plant with maxi roots is covered in a mass of white flowers at the beginning of summer....

02 / 12 / 2002 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Kiggelaria africana

Common names: wild peach, wildeperske (Afr.), umKokoko (Xhosa), uMunwe (Zulu), Monepenepe (North Sotho), Lekgatsi (South Sotho), Muphatavhafu (Venda)

Family: Achariaceae

This widespread tree is said to attract lightning, but some people use it to protect their homes!...

02 / 12 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Pavetta gardeniifolia

Common names: Christmas bride's bush, Christmas bush, kersbruidsbos (Afr.)

Family: Rubiaceae

Masses of attractive creamy-white nectar-rich flowers hang from branches of glossy dark green foliage and their sweet fragrance fills the air at Christmas...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Asparagus densiflorus

Common names: asparagus fern, emerald fern, basket asparagus (Eng.); smaragsiervaring (Afr.); isiqobola, umgcagcazane, uvelabahleke (Zulu)

Family: Asparagaceae

Asparagus densiflorus is an extremely versatile perennial, evergreen plant that can be used as a groundcover or container plant in full sun or light...

25 / 11 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Olea europaea subsp. africana

Common names: wild olive, olienhout (Afr.), mohlware (NSotho, SSotho), umnquma (Zulu, Xhosa, Swati), mutlhwari (Venda), motlhware (Tswana)

Family: Oleaceae

...

18 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Athanasia dentata

Common names: toothed-leaf athanasia (Eng.); geelblombos (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Green and golden is the best way to describe Athanasia dentata....

18 / 11 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Serruria aemula

Common names: strawberry spiderhead

Family: Proteaceae

Serruria aemula once occurred in huge stands on the Cape Flats near Cape Town from Milnerton to Rondebosch. Sadly this beautiful species has been reduced...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Buddleja auriculata

Common names: Weeping Sage (Eng.), Treursalie (Afr.), Utile (isiXhosa)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Polygala fruticosa 'Southern Shores'

Common names: 'Southern Shores' butterfly bush, heart-leaf polygala (Eng.); 'Southern Shores' ertjieblom (Afr.); ulopesi, ulapesi, umabalabala (Xho.); ithethe (Zul.

Family: Polygalaceae

Many people are familiar with the hardy coastal shrub, Polygala myrtifolia which is useful addition to indigenous gardens. Kirstenbosch staff...

04 / 11 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Freylinia lanceolata

Common names: honey bell-bush, honeybells (Eng.); heuningklokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

The honey bell-bush is a shrub or small tree with a charm all of its own, and attracts hosts of butterflies and other pollinators....

04 / 11 / 2002 | Pitta Joffe | Pretoria NBG

Searsia erosa

Common names: Broom karee, Besembos

Family: Anacardiaceae

The Free State is a haven for many different plant species, one of the most interesting in the family Anacardiaceae being Searsia erosa and it grows well...

28 / 10 / 2002 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG

Ixia viridiflora

Common names: green ixia (Eng.); groenkalossie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Ixia viridiflora is one of the most striking and unusual of our winter-rainfall bulbous plants and very few plants can beat it for sheer brilliance of...

28 / 10 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Restio quadratus

Common names: square-stem restio, flats restio (Eng.) vlakteriet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

Restio quadratus is a tall reed-like plant with a spreading habit. ...

21 / 10 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cussonia paniculata

Common names: mountain cabbage tree (Eng.), bergkiepersol (Afr.), umsenge (X, Sw) umsengembuzi (Z)

Family: Araliaceae

This evergreen tree makes a beautiful focal point in a garden as it has an unusual shape, interesting gnarled bark and stunning, large, grey-green leaves....

21 / 10 / 2002 | Peter Gavhi | Free State NBG

Greyia flanaganii

Common names: Kei bottlebrush (E), Kei baakhout (A), uSinga lwamaxhegokazi (X).

Family: Melianthaceae

Greyia flanaganii has great horticultural potential as a spring flowering shrub that is yet to be fully explored by growers and gardeners. This tree...

14 / 10 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ensete ventricosum

Common names: wild banana, African wild banana (Eng.), wildepiesang (Afr.), motholo (Sepedi), mulala (Tshivenda)

Family: Musaceae

This relative of the edible banana is a valuable landscaping plant. Its form, texture and large leaves with conspicuous red midribs, create a lush, tropical...

14 / 10 / 2002 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Senecio glastifolius

Common names: large wild cineraria, holly-leaf senecio (Eng.); waterdissel (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

In late spring it is difficult to miss Senecio glastifolius at Kirstenbosch, for it fills many of the beds with splashes of mauve....

07 / 10 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gerbera jamesonii

Common names: Barberton daisy, gerbera daisy (E) ; rooigousblom (A)

Family: Asteraceae

This beautiful daisy is a deservedly popular garden plant throughout the world and is one of the parents of the many showy Gerbera hybrids seen in florist...

07 / 10 / 2002 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Dermatobotrys saundersii

Common names: tree jockey

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Dermatobotrys saundersii is unusual in that it is an epiphytic shrublet, which grows in the forks of a variety of trees, and occasionally on the forest...

30 / 09 / 2002 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Acmadenia mundiana

Common names: De Hoop porcelain flower (Eng.), De Hoop-boegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This attractive shrub with grey-green foliage carries bright pink star-shaped flowers almost all year round but mainly in winter and spring....

30 / 09 / 2002 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

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