Plants of the Week

Grewia bicolor

Common names: white raisin (Eng.); witrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana, guguna, nsihani (Tsonga); mogwane (Tswana); murabva (Venda); umlalampunzi, imdli

Family: Malvaceae

The bicoloured-leaved Grewia bicolor has beautiful, bright yellow flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small tree that is adaptable...

10 / 09 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Drosera aliciae

Common names: shepherd's crook sundew, alice sundew (Eng.); sondou (Afr.)

Family: Droseraceae

Drosera aliciae, with its interesting mounding habit and its long-lived nature, is a wonderful carnivorous plant and is endemic to South Africa....

10 / 09 / 2012 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Watsonia mtamvunae

Common names: Umtamvuna watsonia

Family: Iridaceae

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03 / 09 / 2012 | N Petela | CREW

Agathosma cerefolium

Common names: coast anise buchu (Eng.); anysboegoe, strandboegoe, klamboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This floriferous buchu is ideal for the small and large garden alike. It is also grows well in pots....

03 / 09 / 2012 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gasteria brachyphylla

Gasteria brachypylla growin near Oudtshoorn

Common names: Klein Karoo ox-tongue (Eng.); Klein Karoo-beestong, boesmanrys (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria brachyphylla is a medium-sized aloe-like, succulent-leaved plant with smooth leaves in two opposite rows and an elongated raceme with pinkish...

27 / 08 / 2012 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Clerodendron glabrum

Common names: tinderwood (Eng.); moswaapeba (Sotho); tontelhout (Afr.); munukha-tshilongwe (Venda); umqwaqwanam (Xhosa); umQoqonga (Zulu); xinhunwelambeva (Tswana);

Family: Lamiaceae

This is a small tree with smelly leaves and scented flowers in summer. It has many traditional uses....

27 / 08 / 2012 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Walter Sisulu NBG

Grewia hexamita

Common names: giant raisin (Eng.); reuserosyntjie, blinkblaarrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana, guguna, nsihani, sipane (Tsonga); mukunukunu (Venda); uml

Family: Malvaceae

The glossy dark green leafed Grewia hexamita has beautiful large, yellow, honey-scented flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small...

20 / 08 / 2012 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Drosera trinervia

Common names: small sundew (Eng.); klein sondouw (Afr.)

Family: Droseraceae

This opportunistic little Drosera is one of the most common carnivorous plant species in South Africa and can be found growing amongst fynbos during winter...

20 / 08 / 2012 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos laevifolius

Common names: Kaapsehoop cycad (Eng.); Kaapsehoop-broodboom (Afr.); mayiphuku (Siswati)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos laevifolius is a tall, slender cycad with even, regular, smooth leafbases. It grows well in full sun and tolerates any soil type, provided...

13 / 08 / 2012 | K w Sepheka | National Herbarium Pretoria

Agathosma serpyllacea

Common names: thyme buchu (Eng.), wildeboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This pink, white or purple flowered buchu is an eye-catcher in a pot or in the garden when flowering....

13 / 08 / 2012 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Crotalaria natalitia var. natalitia

Common names: pioneer rattlepod (Eng.); usi, uvelabahleke (isiZulu)

Family: Fabaceae

The pioneer rattlepod is a shrubby yellow-flowered plant with a scent attractive to honeybees....

06 / 08 / 2012 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Allophylus dregeanus

Common names: forest false currant, simple-leaved false currant, forest bastard currant (Eng.); bosbastertaaibos, enkelblaarvalstaaibos, enkelblaarbastertaaibos (Af

Family: Sapindaceae

Allophylus dregeanus, found in the evergreen forest, will greet you with its sweetly scented flowers, surrounded by beautiful butterflies....

06 / 08 / 2012 | Hannelie Snyman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Streptocarpus cyaneus

Common names: Cape primrose (Eng.)

Family: Gesneriaceae

Streptocarpus cyaneus is very attractive and is one of the few species of Streptocarpus that produces either white, pink or blue flowers depending on...

30 / 07 / 2012 | Rivash Maharaj | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Gasteria disticha

Common names: Great Karoo ox-tongue (Eng.); grootkaroo-beestong, boesmanrys (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria disticha is a small aloe-like, succulent-leaved plant with leaves in two opposite rows and an elongated raceme with pinkish flowers, endemic...

30 / 07 / 2012 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Helichrysum cymosum subsp. cymosum

Common names: gold carpet (Eng.); goue tapyt (Afr.); impepho (isiXhosa)

Family: Asteraceae

Helichrysum cymosum subsp. cymosum is a very attractive and easy-to-grow groundcover with small silvery grey leaves, covered with masses of bright yellow...

23 / 07 / 2012 | Kuphumla Zenze | Kirstenbosch NBG

Argyrolobium lunare

Common names: None

Family: Fabaceae

At first glance it looks as if there are two similar kinds of plant growing together. This is because most of the flowers are bright yellow and others...

23 / 07 / 2012 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Protea laetans

Common names: Blyde protea, Blyde sugarbush (Eng.); Blydesuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

The Blyde protea is a small tree with bluish-green foliage and deep carmine flowerheads, and is one of the few proteas that are found in the summer-rainfall...

16 / 07 / 2012 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Vachellia tortilis

Common names: Umbrella thorn (Eng.); haak-en-steek (Afr.); mosu (Tswana)

Family: Fabaceae

A drought-resistant tree with the classic, umbrella-shaped canopy associated with thorn trees. Many bird species take advantage of the protection it offers...

16 / 07 / 2012 | Tshilidzi Netshisaulu | Free State NBG

Indigofera nigromontana

Common names: indigo (Eng.); doringertjie (Afr.); sefea-maeba, mpepa (South Sotho) (Synonyms: Indigofera spinescens E.Mey.; Indigofera dealbata Harv.; Indigofera he

Family: Fabaceae

Indigofera nigromontana is an indigenous shrub with wonderful horticultural potential, suited to any garden with a continental climate. Its foliage brings...

09 / 07 / 2012 | L Kessler | Free State NBG

Crassula deltoidea

Common names: None found

Family: Crassulaceae

A unique and intriguing dwarf, grey-leaved succulent well-suited to pot cultivation....

09 / 07 / 2012 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG

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