Plants of the Week

Notobubon capense

Common names: bush parsley ( Eng. ); bergseldery (Afr.)

Family: Apiaceae

Although it belongs to the family containing edible members such as the carrot, and the herbs fennel and dill, this particular species would not find its...

31 / 07 / 2006 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG

Lachenalia bulbifera

Common names: red lachenalia (Eng.); rooinaeltjie (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

One of the most striking and robust members of this diverse group, Lachenalia bulbifera is an easily grown bulbous plant that really deserves...

31 / 07 / 2006 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Struthiola ciliata

Common names: evening gonna, lax gonna, the lady that passes by in the night (Eng.); stroopbossie, juffertjie-roer-by-die-nag, aandgonna, slapgonna (Afr.)

Family: Thymelaeaceae

This pretty ericoid shrublet is common in the Western Cape and makes a rewarding garden plant as it flowers all year round. It produces slender plumes...

24 / 07 / 2006 | Tsepang Makholela | Pretoria NBG

Agathosma glabrata

Common names: sand buchu, lemon-scented buchu (Eng.); sandboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

The bright mauve to purple flowers of Agathosma glabrata, commonly known as sand buchu, are an eye-catcher in any garden. Buchus are identified by the...

24 / 07 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Monochoria africana

Common names: there are no known common names for this rather rare plant

Family: Pontederiaceae

Next time you go to the Kruger National Park, try to spot Monochoria africana, one of the most beautiful, rare, indigenous aquatic plants in...

17 / 07 / 2006 | R Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Leucadendron tinctum

Common names: spicy conebush ( Eng. ); toffie-appel (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

An attractive, scented, bushy shrub of the Proteaceae family, Leucadendron tinctum makes a delightful display in a fynbos garden....

17 / 07 / 2006 | Monique Twine | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea lepidocarpodendron

Common names: Black-bearded Protea, Black-bearded Sugarbush, Black Protea ( Eng. ), Swartbaardsuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Not as eye-catching as many of its relatives, this lovely protea has hairy, black and cream-white flowerheads that peek out through the dense foliage like...

10 / 07 / 2006 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe falcata

Common names: Vanrhynsdorp aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

...

10 / 07 / 2006 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Encephalartos paucidentatus

Common names: Barberton cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

The graceful crown of dark green glossy leaves, vigorous growth and strong stem of Encephalartos paucidentatus makes this one of the most striking of...

03 / 07 / 2006 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe comosa

Common names: Clanwilliam aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe comosa is a striking, single-stemmed, summer-flowering aloe that is hardly known in cultivation....

03 / 07 / 2006 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Sideroxylon inerme

Common names: white milkwood ( Eng. ); witmelkhout, melkhoutboom, melkbessie (Afr.); aMasethole, umQwashu (Xhosa); aMasethole-amhlope, uMakhwela-fingqane (Zulu)

Family: Sapotaceae

...

26 / 06 / 2006 | Freddie Bosman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cordyla africana

Common names: sunbird tree (Eng.); wildemango (Afr.); iGowane-elikhulu, umbhone (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

Did you know that Africa has its own mango? Although the fruit is not as big and tasty as the exotic one and it belongs to a different family, it is extremely...

26 / 06 / 2006 | Jean Meyer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Encephalartos longifolius

Common names: Thunberg's cycad, Suurberg cycad (Eng.); Suurbergbroodboom (Afr.)

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos longifolius and E. caffer were the first cycads to be scientifically recorded in South Africa as long ago as 1772. During...

19 / 06 / 2006 | D Bosenberg | Kirstenbosch NBG

Empleurum unicapsulare

Common names: false buchu, river buchu (Eng.); bergboegoe, wildeboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Empleurum unicapsulare is a single-stemmed, evergreen shrub, which has a similar growth habit to a willow tree. It slender and upright growth form with...

19 / 06 / 2006 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Moraea polystachya

Common names: bloutulp, kraai-uintjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Pretty but dangerous (to live-stock, that is)! In a good year, usually in autumn, the large, deep blue to violet or occasionally white, iris-like flowers...

12 / 06 / 2006 | Clare Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria

Plumbago wissii

Common names: Brandberg plumbago

Family: Plumbaginaceae

Plumbago wissii is a rare endemic of the Brandberg in northern Namibia. It is an attractive shrub growing to about 1.5 m in diameter and to about...

12 / 06 / 2006 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Moraea polystachya

Common names: blue moraea, blue tulp, poison moraea (Eng.); bloutulp, kraai-uintjie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

Pretty but dangerous - to live-stock, that is! In a good year, usually in autumn, the large, deep blue to violet or occasionally white, iris-like flowers...

12 / 06 / 2006 | Clare Archer | Pretoria NBG

Leucadendron spissifolium subsp. oribinum

Common names: Oribi spear-leaved conebush ( Eng. ); Oribigeelbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

This rare Leucadendron (conebush) is found at the Oribi Gorge near Port Shepstone, far from the Western Cape where most Leucadendron species...

05 / 06 / 2006 | Wendy Foden | TSP

Freylinia vlokii

Common names: Rooiberg bell-bush, Karoo bell-bush (Eng.); Karoo klokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Freylinia vlokii is a shrub bearing beautiful tubular mauve flowers and is an ideal plant for dry fynbos gardens....

05 / 06 / 2006 | Freddie Bosman | Kirstenbosch NBG

Colpoon compressum

Common names: Cape sumach, coast tannin bush (Eng.); wildepruim, wurgbessie, basbessie, kuslooibas, namtarri (Afr.); mtekaaza, umbalanythi (Xhosa); umbulanyathi (Zu

Family: Santalaceae

Colpoon compressum, is a very decorative and useful plant in cultivation as well as in its natural habitat. It is a hemi-parasitic plant, in...

29 / 05 / 2006 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG

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