Plants of the Week

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

Encephalartos cupidus

Plant growing in garden
Common names: Blyde River cycad
Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos cupidus is a very attractive, desirable, frost-hardy, dwarf, multi-stemmed cycad with its usually subterranean stem and blue green leaves,...

05 / 01 / 2015 | K w Sepheka | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Aloidendron tongaense

Flowers
Common names: Tonga tree aloe (Eng.); Tonga boomaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

A medium-sized tree-aloe endemic to the coastal forests in northern Zululand and southern Mozambique. It has showy, curved, orange flowers, and grows well...

05 / 01 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chrysocoma coma-aurea

Bright yellow flowerheads and leaves
Common names: golden heads, golden bitter bush, golden cowcud (Eng.); bitterbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This species is a showy shrub of fast growth that may be planted close together to form a good border plant, along the edges of a flower bed....

29 / 12 / 2014 | Papama Tsoanyane | Harold Porter NBG
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Erica annectens

Bush in flower
Common names: cliff-hanger heath
Family: Ericaceae

This late summer flowering erica  is only found on the Cape Peninsula....

29 / 12 / 2014 | Julia September | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Crassula orbicularis

Crassula orbicularis leaves
Common names: stonecrop (Eng.); klipblom (Afr.); umadinsane (isiZulu)
Family: Crassulaceae

Crassula orbicularis is an ideal plant for any shade garden. Its wonderful appearance and the ease at which it may be grown, make it a pleasure for both...

22 / 12 / 2014 | James Deacon | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Syntrichia papillosa

Spreading leaves
Common names: marble screw-moss
Family: Pottiaceae

The relatively large brood-bodies on the leaves of Syntrichia papillosa are visible with the naked eye or through a hand-lens....

22 / 12 / 2014 | Jacques van Rooy | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Gladiolus vandermerwei

Flowers of Gladiolus vandermerwei
Common names: Overberg renosterveld gladiolus (Eng.); rooipypie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Gladiolus vandermerwei is a highly threatened species, occurring in the Ruens Renosterveld areas of the eastern Overberg. This species has become a flagship...

15 / 12 / 2014 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW
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Gasteria nitida

Gasteria nitida growing in natural habitat, east of Bathurst, E.Cape
Common names: Bathurst ox-tongue; Bathurst-beestong (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria nitida is a medium-sized, aloe-like succulent, endemic to the Eastern Cape, growing in grassland regions. It has showy, banded leaves, and grows...

15 / 12 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ozoroa sphaerocarpa

Tree growing in habitat
Common names: currant resin tree (Eng.); korenteharpuisboom (Afr.); imfuce lemnyamma (IsiSwati); monoko (Sepedi)
Family: Anacardiaceae

This relatively small tree has small whitish flowers, with the sexes occurring on separate plants.  It is highly valued by rural communities because...

08 / 12 / 2014 | Mahlatse Mogale | TSP
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Pelargonium album

Plant in flower
Common names: Pilgrim's Rest Pelargonium
Family: Geraniaceae

This is a striking plant with light green, fragrant foliage, suitable for the shady mixed border....

08 / 12 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Kniphofia rooperi

Plant in flower
Common names: winter poker, Rooper's red-hot poker (Eng.); lentevuurpyl (Afr.); icacane (isiZulu)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This evergreen perennial produces beautiful flowers with buds ranging from bright red to orange-yellow and the actual flowers ranging from orange-red to...

01 / 12 / 2014 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Zantedeschia odorata

Zantedeschia odorata in flower
Common names: scented arum (Eng.); soetvarkblom (Afr.)
Family: Araceae

Zantedeschia odorata is a rare, winter-growing, white arum with a moderately sweet scent and attractive, arrow-shaped leaves. With careful attention to...

01 / 12 / 2014 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe mudenensis

Aloe mudenensis
Common names: Muden aloe (Eng.); kleinaalwyn (Afr.); icena (IsiZulu)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe mudenensis is one of the most attractive spotted aloes, endemic to Muden and Karkloof in KwaZulu-Natal....

24 / 11 / 2014 | Ntokoza Nkosi | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Otholobium virgatum

Plant in flower
Common names: carpet pea, mat otholobium, eight-day-healing bush (Eng.); agtdaegeneesbossie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

This is a mat-forming and low-growing, trailing, ground cover with masses of mauve-pink, pea-like flowers in spring....

24 / 11 / 2014 | Zoleka Maphanga | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Maurocenia frangula

Tree in flower
Common names: bittersweet-cherry, Hottentot's cherry, vulture berry, nastergalkersie, hottentotskersie, aasvoelbessie (Afr.)
Family: Celastraceae

Maurocenia frangula provides interest throughout the year; with its scarlet, new growth in winter, bright cerise edible berries in autumn, and its decorative,...

17 / 11 / 2014 | Melissa Van der Burg | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Serruria adscendens

Bush in flower
Common names: Kleinmond spiderhead
Family: Proteaceae

Serruria adscendens is an attractive, rounded shrub of slopes and flats, in the coastal fynbos between Betty's Bay and Bredasdorp in the Western Cape....

17 / 11 / 2014 | Nosiphelele Patricia Mapukata | Harold Porter NBG
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Petalacte coronata

Leaves and flowers of Petalacte coronata
Common names: paper flower (Eng.); wildesewejaartjie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Petalacte coronata produces white flower heads in clusters from June to November. The distribution of the plant seems to influence the length of flowering....

10 / 11 / 2014 | Benjamin Festus | Harold Porter NBG
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Drimia filifolia

Flowers of Drimiaf filifolia
Common names: thread-leaf drimia (Eng.); gifbol (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

Drimia filifolia is an attractive plant, flowering in spring up to early summer and is an asset to any garden. This article will provide some insight into...

10 / 11 / 2014 | James Deacon | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Geissorhiza eurystigma

Flowers
Common names: wine cups (Engl.); kelkie wyn (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Geissorhiza eurystigma is one of the few species in its genus with such large and colourful flowers. The combination of purple and red is indeed a beautiful...

03 / 11 / 2014 | Brittany Arendse | CREW
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Cotula duckittiae

Bright orange flowers
Common names: Bokbaai buttons
Family: Asteraceae

This adorable orange flowered annual normally heralds the beginning of spring when it starts flowering in September....

03 / 11 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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