Plants of the Week

Withania somnifera

Common names: winter cherry (Eng.); bitterappelliefie, geneesblaarbossie, koorshout (Afr.); bofepha (Sotho); ubuvuma (Xhosa); ubuvimbha (Zulu); ashwagandha (Hindi).

Family: Solanaceae

Fruits of this plant were found in a floral collar of the innermost coffin of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. (Mabberley 2008 : 911)....

05 / 12 / 2011 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Erica clavisepala

Common names: club heath, Cape Point marsh heath

Family: Ericaceae

Erica clavisepala is a rare decorative little heath, well suited to fynbos gardens and those on the sandy flats....

05 / 12 / 2011 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Haemanthus canaliculatus

Common names: channel-leaved haemanthus

Family: Amaryllidaceae

In late summer or early autumn, after fires have swept through some of the swampy areas near the sea in the Hangklip area, you may be lucky enough to see...

28 / 11 / 2011 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Erica shannonii

Common names: bottle heath, Countess of Shannon's erica (Eng.); bottelheide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

Erica shannonii is one of the most spectacular ericas with its long porcelain-white flowers arranged in clusters at the ends of its branches....

28 / 11 / 2011 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Watsonia vanderspuyiae

Common names: bergsuurkanol (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Watsonia vanderspuyiae is a robust geophyte with bright red tubular flowers. It attracts sunbirds and is an ideal candidate for large fynbos gardens,...

21 / 11 / 2011 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Harveya squamosa

Common names: None recorded

Family: Orobanchaceae

Harveya squamosa is a strange root parasite, commonly seen with the whole plant coloured a glorious red to orange or, rarely, all sulphur yellow,...

21 / 11 / 2011 | J Ready | Pretoria NBG

Aloe haemanthifolia

This plant is now called Kumara haemanthifolia....

14 / 11 / 2011 | | Pretoria NBG

Protea rubropilosa

Common names: transvaal sugarbush, transvaal mountain protea, red velvet protea, escarpment protea (Eng.); transvaalbergsuikerbos (Afr.); segwapi (Sotho)

Family: Proteaceae

The transvaal sugarbush is a striking protea. It has a neat habit and provides year round interest in the garden....

14 / 11 / 2011 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG

Kumara haemanthifolia

Common names: haemanthus-leaf aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Kumara haemanthifolia is a peculiar and interesting aloe. Its tightly arranged leaves with red to pinkish margins resemble a fan or the pages of a partly...

14 / 11 / 2011 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG

Salvia albicaulis

Common names: white-stemmed sage (Eng.); witstingelsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

A white stemmed shrub for sunny spots, which contrasts well with many other fynbos plants....

07 / 11 / 2011 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Oncosiphon suffructicosum

Common names: stinkingweed (Eng.); stinkkruid, wurmkruid, wurmbos, miskruid (Afr.); Calomba daisy (Australia), shrubby mayweed (USA).

Family: Asteraceae

Oncosiphon suffruticosum is an aromatic annual with masses of bright yellow flower heads, and is an important Cape herbal medicine....

07 / 11 / 2011 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium

Pelargonium ribifolium

Common names: currant-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This is beautiful aromatic white-flowered pelargonium for any spring garden....

31 / 10 / 2011 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Combretum molle

Common names: velvet bush willow, velvet leaf willow (Eng.); fluweelboswilg, basterrooibos (Afr.); mokgwethe (North Sotho); iNkukutwane (Siswati); xikhukhutsane (Ts

Family: Combretaceae

This is a decorative tree, well suited for a summer rainfall garden....

31 / 10 / 2011 | T.T. Masupa | National Herbarium Pretoria

Salvia aurita var. aurita

Common names: oogseerbossie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Salvia aurita var. aurita is a fast-growing, herbaceous perennial that makes a fantastic groundcover in gardens that can offer a little...

24 / 10 / 2011 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos natalensis

Common names: Natal cycad (Eng.); natalbroodboom (Afr.); isigqikisomkhovu, umhlungulo (Zulu); umguza, umphanga (Xhosa)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos natalensis, a "living fossil", is a quick-growing handsome giant tree cycad for your garden. This frost-hardy cycad prefers subtropical...

24 / 10 / 2011 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Hesperantha vaginata

Common names: harlequin evening flower (Eng.); harlekynaandblom, perdeblom (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

The bright yellow flowers of Hesperantha vaginata, with their distinctive dark brown markings, have formed a very close evolutionary relationship with...

17 / 10 / 2011 | Colleen Rust | Hantam NBG

Agathosma imbricata

Common names: sand buchu (Eng.); sandboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This sweetly scented shrublet is a real gem which not only copes with a variety of soil-types and conditions, but also provides a magical splash of colour...

17 / 10 / 2011 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG