Plants of the Week

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

Liparia hirsuta

Flowers
Common names: common hard-leaved pea (Eng.); gewone hardeblaar-ertjie (Afr.)
Family: Fabaceae

With its silvery, hairy calyx and bright yellow flowers, Liparia hirsuta is an eye-catching plant....

02 / 06 / 2014 | L Knight | CREW
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Kalanchoe longiflora

Kalanchoe longiflora in flower
Common names: Tugela cliff-kalanchoe, long-flower kalanchoe (Eng.); Tugela kransplakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

Kalanchoe longiflora is a little-known succulent shrub with attractive multi-hued foliage and yellow flowers in autumn to winter. It is suitable for...

26 / 05 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hessea

Hessea stellaris. Colin Paterson-Jones
Common names: umbrella lilies; sambreeltjies (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Hessea, with its delicate, umbrella-like clusters of star-shaped autumn flowers, is designed to delight....

26 / 05 / 2014 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium
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Conophytum wettsteinii

Flowering in autumn
Common names: cone plant, dumplings, button plants (Eng.); knopies (buttons), toontjies (little toes), waterblasies (water blisters), ogies (small eyes) (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Conophytum wettsteinii are highly collectable, easy to grow, dwarf-cushioned succulents that produce attractive pink flowers in autumn....

19 / 05 / 2014 | A Jakoet | Compton Herbarium
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Conophytum calculus subsp. calculus

In flower in habitat
Common names: cone plants, dumplings, button plants, sphaeroids, conos; knopies (buttons), toontjies (little toes), waterblasies (water blisters) (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

These humorous-looking `pebble plants' are easy to grow in pots and their unusual night-time opening flowers have a delightfully spicy scent....

19 / 05 / 2014 | Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Hippia frutescens

Corymb of flowers. Image N van Berkel
Common names: scrambling wormwood (Eng.); rankals, kanferbossie (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This is a good plant for moist gardens and also has a traditional medicinal use....

12 / 05 / 2014 | B Busch | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Aloe catengiana

Aloe catengiana, flowerhead. (Image Duke Benadon)
Common names: Catengue-aloe, Catengue-aalwyn, okandolle (umbundu tongue).
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe catengiana is only known from the Catengue Railway Station in southwestern Angola. It is a shrubby ascending aloe with spreading, leafy branches...

12 / 05 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Plectranthus reflexus

Plectranthus reflexus
Common names: ballerina spurflower; ballerina spoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

An attractive, unusual and rare shade plant for pots or shade gardens....

06 / 05 / 2014 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe huntleyana

Aloe huntleyana
Common names: Huntley aloe (Eng.); Huntley-aalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe huntleyana is a small creeping aloe species with greyish green leaves ornamented at the base with white spots. It branches to form clusters of...

06 / 05 / 2014 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Trichilia emetica

Trichilia emtica fruits.Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: Natal mahogany; rooiessenhout (Afr.); mamba (Northern Sotho); umathunzini (isiZulu); umkuhlu (SiSwati); umkhuhlu (isiXhosa); nkulu (Xitsonga); mutuhu
Family: Meliaceae

The Natal mahogany is an evergreen tree with handsome dark green glossy leaves and a wide-spreading crown. Its sweet-scented flowers will attract bees...

28 / 04 / 2014 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Senecio inornatus

Flowerheads
Common names: tall marsh senecio (Eng.); groot vlei-senecio (Afr.); Inkanga, Uhlabo (isiZulu); Lehlongoana-le-leholo (Southern Sotho).
Family: Asteraceae

Senecio inornatus is a tall robust plant that does not go unnoticed in any grassland or wetland. These solitary plants are often much taller than the...

21 / 04 / 2014 | Cynthia Mikateko Baloyi | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Plectranthus strigosus

Great in a hanging basket
Common names: dwarf spurflower; dwerg spoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

A dainty and delicate ground cover for shade gardens or hanging baskets....

21 / 04 / 2014 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eulophia ensata

This plant is now listed as Orthochilus ensatus....

14 / 04 / 2014 | | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Orthochilus ensatus

Orthochilus ensatus
Common names: imphamba lentaba (isiZulu
Family: Orchidaceae

This is an attractive orchid that can be grown as a container subject and was previously known as Eulophia ensata....

14 / 04 / 2014 | T Lukoto | Free State NBG
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Erica croceovirens

Erica croceovirens
Common names: Doringrivier heath, saffron-&-green heath (Eng.) doringrivierheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica croceovirens is a newly described species which is closely related to other tubular southern Cape species such as E. versicolor, E....

14 / 04 / 2014 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Plectranthus swynnertonii

Plant in flower
Common names: Swynnerton's spur flower, cress spur flower; Debengeni spoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus swynnertonii is an attractive, fast growing late summer to winter flowering herbaceous perennial that will thrive in a moist frost-free...

07 / 04 / 2014 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Barleria dolomiticola

Barleria dolomiticola flower and buds
Common names: Wolkberg bush violet
Family: Acanthaceae

Plant a Red Listed barleria in your garden and support the conservation of the species....

07 / 04 / 2014 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Chaetacanthus setiger

Theis plant is now  known as Dyschoriste setigera...

31 / 03 / 2014 | | Lowveld NBG
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Dyschoriste setigera

In flower
Common names: Fairy Stars
Family: Acanthaceae

This is a delightful low-growing groundcover up to 150-300mm high that requires little or no maintenance and is particularly suitable for water-wise gardens...

31 / 03 / 2014 | Zoleka Maphanga | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Barleria randii

Flowers and leaves B.randii
Common names: Matopos apricot barleria
Family: Acanthaceae

This barleria with its orange/yellow flowers and white leaf margins will be an attractive addition to a rock garden....

31 / 03 / 2014 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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