Plants of the Week

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E.g., 24/11/2024
E.g., 24/11/2024

Ceropegia crassifolia var. crassifolia

Ceropegia crassifolia var. crassifolia
Common names: leathery-leaved ceropegia
Family: Apocynaceae

Members of the genus Ceropegia in the strict sense, are characterized by tubular flowers specially adapted for the temporary capture of insects for pollination...

18 / 02 / 2019 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ipomoea oenotheroides

Ipomoea oenotheroides
Common names: Christmas flower (Eng.); krismisblom (Afr.)
Family: Convolvulaceae

An eye-catching, drought-resistant shrublet with bright pink ‘morning glory’ flowers in summer and silvery stems sprouting from inedible tuberous...

11 / 02 / 2019 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG
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Erica grandiflora subsp. grandiflora

Erica grandiflora subsp. grandiflora
Common names: golden heath (Eng.); goueheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

A sturdy fynbos shrub with outstanding bright orange flowers at the hottest, driest time of the year....

11 / 02 / 2019 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Lapeirousia anceps

Lapeirousia anceps
Common names: sandveld cabong, cabung, chabi (Eng.); pienk koringblom (Afr.); cabong (Namaqua)
Family: Iridaceae

A small bulbous plant that is drought tolerant and thrives on low rainfall, transforming the veld with a spectacular display of masses of tubular, white...

04 / 02 / 2019 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Barleria oxyphylla

Barleria oxyphylla
Common names: turf barleria
Family: Acanthaceae

Rare but interesting....

04 / 02 / 2019 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Ledebouria ovatifolia subsp. scabrida

Ledebouria ovatifolia subsp. scabrida
Common names: Mdumbeni River Valley African Hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An unusual flat-leaved Ledebouria which has leaves pressed flat on the ground and the upper surface of the leaves adorned with tongue-shaped papillae which...

28 / 01 / 2019 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Dietes butcheriana

Dietes butcheriana
Common names: forest wild iris, forest iris, broad-leaved dietes (Eng.); bosiris (Afr.); isiyunga, iconya (isiXhosa)
Family: Iridaceae

Dietes butcheriana is an indigenous, shade-loving, evergreen irid with broad leaves arranged in a fan, and large, white flowers with apricot markings,...

28 / 01 / 2019 | Sanele Nkosi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria socialis

Ledebouria socialis
Common names: silver African hyacinth, silver squill
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This attractive, small bulbous plant, is by far the most popular of all the Ledebouria species, enjoyed by many collectors of rare and unusual plants,...

21 / 01 / 2019 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Cussonia sphaerocephala

Cussonia sphaerocephala
Common names: forest cabbage-tree, Natal forest cabbage tree (Eng.); boskiepersol (Afr.); umsenge-wehlathi (isiXhosa & isiZulu); umsenge (siSwati)
Family: Araliaceae

A highly ornamental, fast-growing tree, with rounded heads atop tall, slender stems developing into magnificent specimens, but don’t plant it near...

21 / 01 / 2019 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ledebouria rupestris

Ledebouria rupestris
Common names: Mac-Mac African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

An attractive dwarf Ledebouria forming dense clusters of many tiny bulbs which flower freely and make a handsome pot subject. This highly range restricted...

14 / 01 / 2019 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Helichrysum patulum

Helichrysum patulum
Common names: honey everlasting (Eng.); kooigoed (Afr.); impepho (isXhosa); phefo (Sesotho).
Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum patulum has attractive, aromatic, grey foliage and strongly honey-scented summer flowers. It is easy to grow, water-wise, makes an excellent...

14 / 01 / 2019 | Zoleka May | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eriosema umtamvunense

Eriosema umtamvunense
Common names: Umtamvuna eriosema
Family: Fabaceae

Eriosema umtamvunense is an erect perennial shrub, with densely hairy stems, leaves and pods, red and yellow flowers in summer, a horizontal woody rootstock,...

07 / 01 / 2019 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Pachypodium succulentum

Pachypodium succulentum
Common names: star-flower thick-foot, porcupine-kambroo (Eng.); bergkambroo, bobbejaankambroo, bobbejaankos, ystervarkkambroo, ystervarkkos, dikvoet (Afr.)
Family: Apocynaceae

A slow-growing shrublet characterized by its unusual thickened, underground, water-storing, tuberous stem, which helps the plant to survive during drought...

07 / 01 / 2019 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG
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Ledebouria revoluta

Ledebouria revoluta
Common names: common African hyacinth (Eng.); bokhoe (Sso.); icubudwana (Zul.); inqwebebane, ubuhlungu (Xho.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A widespread and very common species, this attractive Ledebouria shows a tremendous amount of variation across its extensive range....

31 / 12 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Askidiosperma andreaeanum

Askidiosperma andreaeanum
Common names: paper-sheath restio
Family: Restionaceae

A very aesthetically pleasing, compact, tufted plant, with a rounded growth form, attractive smooth stems and golden spathes....

31 / 12 / 2018 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Xylia torreana

Xylia torreana
Common names: hairy sand-ash (Eng.); harige sandessenhout (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

An attractive deciduous tree with fragrant yellow flowers in little balls in early summer, followed by large, woody pods....

24 / 12 / 2018 | Sephatle Evans Molekoa | Lowveld NBG
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Chrysocoma ciliata

Chrysocoma ciliata
Common names: bitter bush, bitter cowcud (Eng.); bitterbos (Afr.); sehalahala (Sesotho)
Family: Asteraceae

A dense, slender-stemmed shrublet that boasts with its alluring, bright yellow, globular flowerheads....

24 / 12 / 2018 | Thembakazi Dyariwe | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Limonium capense

Limonium capense
Common names: Saldanha sea-pink (Eng.); saldanha strandroos (Afr.)
Family: Plumbaginaceae

A poorly known, drought-tolerant shrublet for coastal gardens, producing masses of pink papery flowers in early summer....

17 / 12 / 2018 | John Manning | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Croton megalobotrys

Croton megalobotrys (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: feverberry, large feverberry (Eng.); koorsbessie, grootkoorsbessie (Afr.); motsibi (Northern Sotho), muruthu (Tshivenda)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

This tree will add colour to your garden in autumn as the leaves produces shades of yellow, orange and brown; flowering time is throughout spring and as...

17 / 12 / 2018 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crotalaria magaliesbergensis

Crotalaria magaliesbergensis
Common names: Magaliesberg rattlepod (Eng.); magaliesberg jaagsiektebossie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

Crotalaria magaliesbergensis is small shrub that sprouts annually from a woody rootstock, to produce many, fragrant, yellow flowers. It will be a great...

10 / 12 / 2018 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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