Plants of the Week

Erica caffra

Common names: water heath, sweet-scented heath (Eng.); water-heide (Afr.)

Family: Ericaceae

When walking along a stream or near a wetland on a warm day in spring or early summer, a strong sweet smell is sometimes the first indication that one...

10 / 11 / 2008 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Asparagus falcatus

Common names: large forest asparagus, thorny creeper, sicklethorn, yellowwood asparagus (Eng.); doringtou (Afr.); imblekazana (isiZulu); ubulawu (isiXhosa)

Family: Asparagaceae

Asparagus falcatus is a robust thorny creeper that has attractive white flowers and red berries and will easily double as a safety hedge against unwanted...

10 / 11 / 2008 | Bernard Brown | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diospyros austro-africana

Common names: fire-sticks, star-apple (Eng.); kritikom, jakkalsbos, vuurmaakbossie, kraaibessie (Afr.); liperekisi-tsa-makhoaba, senokonoko (South Sotho), umbhongis

Family: Ebenaceae

Diospyros austro-africana is a beautiful indigenous shrub or small tree that bears little cream, pink and even red lantern-like flowers. Not only attractive...

03 / 11 / 2008 | Luambo David Rambuwani | Free State NBG

Pentarrhinum insipidum

Common names: African heartvine (Eng.), donkieperske, hondepisbossie, opklim, wildekomkommer (Afr.), aulana, furana (Ndebele), umulugwe (Ndebele), leswa (Sotho)

Family: Apocynaceae

The leaves, stems and fruit of Pentarrhinum insipidum are widely eaten throughout Africa. It is an important wild vegetable and has the potential to be...

27 / 10 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | Pretoria NBG

Geissorhiza radians

Common names: winecups, satin flower

Family: Iridaceae

Looking much like half-full wine glasses, Geissorhiza radians lights up the veld in late spring, providing a spectacular but uncommon sight....

27 / 10 / 2008 | Gary Shanks | Kirstenbosch NBG

Hermannia pinnata

Common names: orange hermannia/doll's rose (Eng.), kwasblaar kruip poprosie (Afr.)

Family: Malvaceae

Hermannia pinnata is a decorative groundcover, covered in masses of honey-scented pale orange bells in early summer, and ideal for hanging baskets,...

20 / 10 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dianthus zeyheri

Common names: wild pink dianthus, African carnation (Eng.); grasangelier, wild-angelier (Afr.); iningizimu, isidala, umzima (isiZulu)

Family: Caryophyllaceae

This beautiful, hardy African carnation adds a mass of pink colour to the garden....

20 / 10 / 2008 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Flueggea virosa

Common names: white berry-bush (Eng.); witbessiesbos (Afr.); Mutangahuma (Tshivenda); Mpfalambati (Tsonga); Muhlakaume (Sotho)

Family: Phyllanthaceae

This African plant has become a problem plant in other parts of the world.© Geoff Nichols...

13 / 10 / 2008 | T Ratshibvumo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Atalaya alata

Common names: Lebombo krantz ash (Eng.); Lebombo kransesseboom (Afr.); umzondo, umnondo (Zulu)

Family: Sapindaceae

Introduce a finer texture in your garden by planting Atalaya alata....

13 / 10 / 2008 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tritonia crocata

Common names: Mossel Bay tritonia (Eng.) mosselbaaikalkoentjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Tritonia crocata is a striking, late spring and early summer-flowering plant with fiery orange or reddish orange flower sprays and a fan of short, lance-shaped...

06 / 10 / 2008 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Justicia flava

Common names: yellow justicea (Eng.); geelgarnaalbos (Afr.); impela (Zulu)

Family: Acanthaceae

Justicia flava is a ground cover which produces yellow flowers from September to May and is a good investment for a sunny spot in the garden....

06 / 10 / 2008 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Mundulea sericea

Common names: cork bush, silver bush, Rhodesian silver-leaf (Eng.); kurkbos, blou-ertjieboom, olifantshout, visboontjie, visgif, mangaanbos (Afr.); omukeka (Herero)

Family: Fabaceae

In a landscape characterised by grass and rock, all-year frost and drenching thunderstorms, Mundulea sericea stands out as the true star of the veld....

29 / 09 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Arctotis acaulis

Common names: renoster arctotis, renoster marigold (Eng.), renostergousblom, tonteldoekblom (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Arctotis acaulis is a fast-growing perennial that is best grown as an annual, with large orange, yellow, salmon or cream daisies in spring and early...

29 / 09 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium glutinosum

Common names: balm-scented pelargonium, sticky-leaf pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

This showy Pelargonium with its dark pink flowers and dark green leaves will bring delight to a garden wanting striking contrast....

22 / 09 / 2008 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Parinari curatellifolia

Common names: mobola-plum, cork tree, hissing tree (Eng.); grysappel, bosappel (Afr.); mmola (N. Sotho); mbulwa (Tsonga); mobola (Tswana); muvhula (Venda)

Family: Chrysobalanaceae

This attractive shade-providing tree is a prominent aspect in its environment, and it is no surprise that a tribute to the late Dr David Livingstone (a...

22 / 09 / 2008 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Strumaria

Common names: Cape snowflake (Eng.); tolbol (Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

15 / 09 / 2008 | D Snijman | Compton Herbarium

Protea coronata

Common names: green protea, green sugarbush (Eng.); groenhofiesuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea coronata has bright apple-green inflorescences hidden amongst its silvery foliage; it's not a showy garden shrub but the very attractive...

15 / 09 / 2008 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos arenarius

Common names: Alexandria cycad, Kwa Qaba cycad (Eng.); uMphanga wakwa Qaba (Nguni)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos arenarius is a medium-sized, multi-stemmed, subterranean plant about 1-2 m high. It grows well in semi-shade but can tolerate full...

08 / 09 / 2008 | Phakamani Xaba | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brachystelma barberae

Common names: platvoetaasblom (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Brachystelma barberae is without doubt the most spectacular species in the genus. It is probably the best known cultivated caudiciform asclepiad. If the...

08 / 09 / 2008 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria

Salvia lanceolata

Common names: rusty sage, lance-leaf sage (Eng.); rooisalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

A lovely grey-green aromatic shrub with rusty red flowers for most of the year; rewardingly easy to grow and water-wise....

01 / 09 / 2008 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Browse through all previous entries of Plants Of The Week

Pages

Pages