Plants of the Week

Aloe pearsonii

Common names: Pearson's aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe pearsonii is a very distinctive aloe with its almost perfectly arranged vertical rows of leaves that cover the slender stems like a long narrow skirt....

26 / 11 / 2007 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Freylinia crispa

Common names: Kouga bell-bush (Eng.); Kouga klokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

The attractive purple flowers of the Kouga bell-bush will brighten up your garden....

19 / 11 / 2007 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria elegans

Common names: white bushveld barleria ( Eng.); wit bosviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

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19 / 11 / 2007 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Serruria florida

Common names: blushing bride, pride of Franschhoek (Eng.); skaamblom, trots van Franschhoek (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

The delicate beauty of Serruria florida justifies its recognition as the most beautiful of the genus....

12 / 11 / 2007 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ursinia sericea

Common names: silver lace-leaf ursinia (Eng.); geelmagriet (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

Ursinia sericea is an attractive, easy-to-grow perennial, adding texture and silver highlights to the garden....

05 / 11 / 2007 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Bulbine narcissifolia

Common names: strap-leaved bulbine, snake flower (Eng.); lintblaar bulbine, geelslangkop, wildekopieva (Afr.); khomo-ea-balisa, serelelile (Southern Sotho)

Family: Asphodelaceae

The grey-green, laxly twisted leaves and compact inflorescence of yellow flowers and white bracts covering the flower buds, make the strap-leaved bulbine, Bulbine...

05 / 11 / 2007 | Ronell R. Klopper | Biosystematics

Lachenalia sargeantii

Common names: none

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Lachenalia sargeantii is a striking, early summer-flowering plant with pendulous, tubular ivory blooms marked with apple-green, bright pinkish magenta...

29 / 10 / 2007 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Barleria mackenii

Common names: Mr McKen's barleria (Eng.): bosviooltjie (Afr.)

Family: Acanthaceae

Barleria mackenii is a medium-sized shrub with mauve, tubular flowers which appear from February to June....

29 / 10 / 2007 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG

Crassula arborescens

Common names: tree crassula (Eng.); beestebal (Afr.); Umchobozovithi (Swazi)

Family: Crassulaceae

Unlike most crassulas which are relatively small succulent plants, Crassula arborescens is an outstanding, squat, succulent tree that is easily recognizable...

22 / 10 / 2007 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Brachystelma modestum

Common names: none known

Family: Apocynaceae

The name modestum appears well deserved by this diminutive species of Brachystelma since the flowers are so astonishingly attractive, while the plant...

22 / 10 / 2007 | Suvarna Parbhoo | TSP

Cryptocarya wyliei

Common names: red quince; red-haired laurel (Eng.); rooikweper (Afr.); umNgcabe (Zulu); umNqayane (Zulu, Xhosa)

Family: Lauraceae

Cryptocarya wyliei is a beautiful ornamental tree, easily grown from seed, with bright red edible fruit scattered among the tiny green leaves....

15 / 10 / 2007 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Aloe marlothii

Common names: mountain aloe, flat-flowered aloe (Eng.); bergalwyn (Afr.); inhlaba, umhlaba (Zulu)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe marlothii is a striking, robust, large, single-stemmed aloe with a majestic presence. The mountain aloe is without doubt one of southern Africa's...

15 / 10 / 2007 | P Emms | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albuca nelsonii

Common names: candelabrum lily, Nelson's slime lily (Eng.), slymstok (Afr.), intelezi (Xhosa), umaphipha-intelezi (Zulu)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca nelsonii may be found in specialist collections but it is not often seen in gardens. Yet it has attractive flowers, and it is considered a good...

12 / 10 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Jamesbrittenia breviflora

Common names: There are no recorded common names for this species; other Jamesbrittenia species are sometimes known as verfblommetjies (little paint-flowers).

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Jamesbrittenia breviflora grows wild in the Drakensberg and has beautiful reddish-purple flowers with a bright lemon-yellow centre....

08 / 10 / 2007 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium

Wahlenbergia capensis

Common names: Cape bluebell

Family: Campanulaceae

Wahlenbergia capensis, the Cape bluebell, is a member of the Campanulaceae (the bellflower family). Its showy flowers start appearing from early spring,...

01 / 10 / 2007 | C Cupido | Compton Herbarium

Aloe challisii

Common names: Steenkampsberg cliff aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe challisii is a charming new cliff-dwelling aloe from the Steenkampsberg in Mpumlanga Province. It is easily grown from cuttings and thrives as...

01 / 10 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Tarchonanthus trilobus var. trilobus

Common names: three-lobed tarchonanthus, three-lobed camphor bush, trident camphor bush ( Eng. ), drietandkanferbos (Afr.), isiMemela, iGqeba-lamatshe (Xhosa), isiD

Family: Asteraceae

Tarchonanthus trilobus var. trilobus is a shapely, small, evergreen tree with decorative, aromatic foliage, well-suited to today's smaller...

24 / 09 / 2007 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG