Plants of the Week

Bersama lucens

Common names: glossy white ash (Eng.); blinkblaarwitessenhout (Afr.); isindiyandiya (Xhosa); undiyaza (Zulu)

Family: Melianthaceae

Bersama lucens is not a common garden plant, rather a specialist specimen that still needs to be promoted in the garden fraternity....

09 / 07 / 2007 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Clivia robusta

Common names: swamp bush lily, swamp clivia

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Clivia robusta is probably one of the tallest members of the genus as it can grow to a height of 1.6 m in ideal conditions. It is a strong grower and...

02 / 07 / 2007 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe greatheadii var. davyana

Common names: spotted aloe (Eng.); Transvaalaalwyn, grasaalwyn (Afr.); kgopane (Tswana)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe greatheadii var. davyana is a drab and uninteresting plant, but when it flowers in winter, it is spectacular. It is a plant that will...

02 / 07 / 2007 | Jean Meyer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Aspalathus linearis

Common names: rooibos tea (Eng.), rooibostee, bossietee (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

Aspalathus linearis, the source of rooibos tea, is a shrub found in the western mountainous parts of the Western Cape. Rooibos tea is a most popular drink...

25 / 06 / 2007 | Marcini Govender | National Herbarium Pretoria

Aloe melanacantha

Common names: black-thorn aloe, small mountain aloe (Eng.); swartdoringaalywn kleinbergaalwyn, goree (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

The true beauty of Aloe melanacantha can only be appreciated when seen flowering in the veld. Its formidable black thorns add an exquisite dimension when...

25 / 06 / 2007 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea nitida

Common names: wagon tree ( English); waboom, blousuikerbos, bobbejaansuikerbos, brandhout. (Afrikaans)

Family: Proteaceae

With its long history and good looks, Protea nitida is a gem in the fynbos world. It is the only species of Protea to form large trees yielding...

18 / 06 / 2007 | Monique Twine | Kirstenbosch NBG

Adenium

Common names: A. boehmianum : pylgif (Afr.); ouzuwo (Herero). A. multiflorum : impala lily, Sabi star, kudu lily ( Eng. ); impalalelie (Afr.). A. obesum : desert ro

Family: Apocynaceae

Adeniums, which all have poisonous sap, produce flowers in striking reds, pinks and mauves; red-and-white bicoloured flowers are fairly common. They are...

18 / 06 / 2007 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | Pretoria NBG

Grewia lasiocarpa

Common names: forest raisin (Eng.); bosrosyntjie (Afr.); umhlolo (Xhosa); ilalanyathi (Zulu)

Family: Malvaceae

Grewia lasiocarpa is a wonderful fast-growing small tree, ideal for use as a screen, with lovely large, star-shaped pink flowers and fruit that is...

11 / 06 / 2007 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Carpobrotus dimidiatus

Common names: Natal sour fig (Eng.), Natalse suurvy/strandvy (Afr.), Ikhambi lamabulawo (Zulu)

Family: Aizoaceae

...

11 / 06 / 2007 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Rhodohypoxis baurii

Common names: red star (Eng.); rooisterretjie (Afr.)

Family: Hypoxidaceae

Rhodohypoxis baurii is a diminutive, enchanting plant, forming colourful carpets of white, pink and red in rocky places in the Drakensberg area. It...

04 / 06 / 2007 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Pachypodium namaquanum

Common names: elephant's trunk (Eng.); halfmens (Afr.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Pachypodium namaquanum must rate as the most sought-after and popular of all large succulents from the arid Northern Cape and southern Namibia,...

04 / 06 / 2007 | Olivia Pekeur | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gasteria tukhelensis

Close up of flowers,flowering at Kirstenbosch

Common names: Tugela ox-tongue (Eng.), Tugela-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria tukhelensis is one of the more or less 20 species so far known of the popular, aloe-like genus Gasteria which is endemic to southern...

28 / 05 / 2007 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Elaeodendron transvaalense

Common names: bushveld saffron (Eng.); bosveldsaffraan, lepelhout (Afr.); iNgwavuma, uMgugudo (Zulu); shimapana (Tsonga); monamane (Northern Sotho)

Family: Celastraceae

Elaeodendron transvaalense is an attractive, small to medium tree that fits perfectly in a small garden. Those gardening for biodiversity will find this...

28 / 05 / 2007 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pelargonium ovale

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium ovale is one of several tufted pelargoniums that are suitable for container gardens....

21 / 05 / 2007 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficinia

Common names: sedges (Eng.); biesies (Afr.); Ficinia radiata : star grass (Eng.) stergras (Afr.)

Family: Cyperaceae

The genus Ficinia of the tribe Scirpeae is remarkable in that almost all of the ± 60 species are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region. Species range...

21 / 05 / 2007 | Caitlin Von Witt | CREW

Felicia aethiopica

Common names: wild aster, dwarf Felicia (Eng.); wilde-aster, bloublombossie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This lovely plant with its bright blue flowers is a must in every garden as it flowers all year, keeping your garden bright and beautiful....

14 / 05 / 2007 | Olivia Pekeur | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Erica bakeri

Common names: Wemmershoek marsh heath

Family: Ericaceae

Erica bakeri is one of the most threatened species in the Ericaceae family. It is only known from one locality that is threatened by alien vegetation,...

14 / 05 / 2007 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Haemanthus deformis

Common names: none

Family: Amaryllidaceae

A dense cluster of white flowers borne atop a short hairy stem and large, fleshy grey leaves make Haemanthus deformis one of South Africa 's most...

07 / 05 / 2007 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cladostemon kirkii

Common names: three-finger bush, butterfly-tree (Eng.); Tonga-kierie (Eng. & Afr.); umThekwini, umusi-iyamuka, uphanda, isidumbu (isiZulu)

Family: Brassicaceae

How is it possible that a tree with such attractive flowers should bear fruits with such an awful stench?...

07 / 05 / 2007 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Plectranthus ambiguus

Common names: pincushion spurflower ( Eng. ); speldekussing spoorsalie (Afr.); iboza elincane (Zulu)

Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus ambiguus brings soft green foliage and a splash of vivid violet-purple during autumn to shady areas in the garden, and it is easy...

30 / 04 / 2007 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

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