Plants of the Week

Gerbera viridifolia

Common names: blushing barberton daisy (Eng.); griquateebossie (Afr.); iyeza lamazi (isiXhosa)

Family: Asteraceae

Gerbera viridifolia produces beautiful cream, mauve or purple daisies for most of the year. It is one of the parents of today's popular florist Gerbera...

22 / 05 / 2006 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Erepsia lacera

Common names: Paarl roosvygie

Family: Aizoaceae

Erepsia lacera is an erect shrublet with succulent leaves and somewhat rose-like flowers. It belongs to the mesemb family (Mesembryanthemaceae), flowers...

22 / 05 / 2006 | Van Jaarsveld I | Kirstenbosch NBG

Gladiolus oppositiflorus

Common names: Transkei gladiolus, salmon gladiolus

Family: Iridaceae

Gladioli are popular garden plants, cultivated in Europe for more than 250 years and renowned for their striking, colourful flowers. But did you know that...

15 / 05 / 2006 | Lize Agenbag | Pretoria NBG

Encephalartos trispinosus

Common names: Bushman`s River cycad

Family: Zamiaceae

Encephalartos trispinosus is an excellent garden subject in hot, dry climates and areas which experience frost. The plants do not require a great deal...

15 / 05 / 2006 | John Winter | Kirstenbosch NBG

Thamnochortus bachmannii

Common names: Namaqua thatching reed, steenbok reed (Eng.); steenboksriet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

Eye-catching bronze-brown flowerheads nod in the breeze as the sun sets over the distant mountains-they capture the rays and turn them into a fire dance....

08 / 05 / 2006 | Monique Twine | Kirstenbosch NBG

Monodora junodii

Common names: green-apple (Eng.); groenappel (Afr.); ndzivila (xiTsonga); umKotshi (isiZulu)

Family: Annonaceae

Imagine a tree with a flower like an orchid bloom; one so unusual that next to nothing is known about how to grow it. Would this not be a major garden...

08 / 05 / 2006 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Gasteria pillansii

Common names: Namaqua gasteria (Eng.); Namakwa-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria pillansii is the only true winter rainfall species of the genus. It is easily grown in containers in a shady spot, but has to be kept dry...

01 / 05 / 2006 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Craibia zimmermannii

Common names: sandforest craibia, peawood (Eng.); sandertjiehout (Afr.); umBambalwenyoka, umPhungwane (isiZulu) SA National Tree List no.: 229

Family: Fabaceae

Are you looking for an unusual smallish tree with spectacular flowers for that special place in a small, warm garden? Look no further: Craibia zimmermannii...

01 / 05 / 2006 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Indigofera natalensis

Common names: forest indigo (Eng.); bos-verfbos (Afr.); umsitshane (IsiXhosa); insiphane encane (IsiZulu)

Family: Fabaceae

Indigofera natalensis is a delicate and attractive shade-loving tree with dainty white sprays of flowers in summer, followed by slender, reddish brown...

24 / 04 / 2006 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus trichopoda

Fruits of F. trichopoda.Copyright Geoff Nichols

Common names: swamp fig, hippo fig (Eng.); moerasvy (Afr.); umvubu (isiZulu); alufubu (Xitsonga)

Family: Moraceae

The swamp or hippo fig is the only indigenous fig species in the southern African region whose aerial roots develop into new stems like the banyan, Ficus...

17 / 04 / 2006 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Erythrophysa transvaalensis

Common names: Transvaal red balloon (Eng.); Transvaalse rooiklapperbos (Afr.)

Family: Sapindaceae

Erythrophysa transvaalensis is an exciting deciduous shrub or small tree, suitable for small gardens in frost-free areas....

17 / 04 / 2006 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pelargonium acetosum

Common names: sorrel-leaved pelargonium

Family: Geraniaceae

Pelargonium acetosum, with its beautiful shades of salmon-coloured flowers, provides an attractive display in the garden all year round....

10 / 04 / 2006 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

Combretum imberbe

Common names: leadwood (Eng.); hardekool (Afr.); motswiri (Pedi); ummono (Sotho); mondzo (Tsonga); motswere (Tswana); umbondwe omnyama (Zulu); mohwelere-tshipi (Nor

Family: Combretaceae

Combretum imberbe is the most impressive of our combretums; even when it is dead, leadwood presents an imposing display, with its almost white trunk...

10 / 04 / 2006 | Patrick Mtsweni | Walter Sisulu NBG

Gasteria glomerata

Common names: Kouga gasteria (Eng.); Kouga-beestong (Afr.)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Gasteria glomerata is a very attractive, dwarf species, bearing rounded clusters of grey-green, slightly rough (tuberculate) leaves. It is ideal for...

03 / 04 / 2006 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cynodon dactylon

Common names: couch grass, quick grass, Bermunda quick grass, finger grass, running grass (Eng.); kweekgras, fynkweek, anosterkweek, renosterkweek, elandskweek, gem

Family: Poaceae

This well-known grass is adaptable and is found almost world-wide, from deserts to the lawn in your garden. Most gardeners, if not most people, will know...

03 / 04 / 2006 | C Mudau | Pretoria NBG

Harpagophytum procumbens

Common names: devil's claw, harpago, grapple plant, wool- and woodspider (Eng.); duivelsklou, bobbejaandubbeltjie, kloudoring, veldspinnakop (Afr.); teufelskralle,

Family: Pedaliaceae

Tread with care where Harpagophytum procumbens, or devil's claw, is lurking. It has nasty, spiny fruits but it is one of the chief medicinal plants...

01 / 04 / 2006 | S Smithies | National Herbarium Pretoria

Moraea amissa

Family: Iridaceae

Moraea amissa has all the ingredients to be an absolutely sensational plant. It is probably one of the most rare and most threatened plants in the...

27 / 03 / 2006 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Widdringtonia nodiflora

Common names: mountain cedar, mountain cypress ( Eng.); bergsipres (Afr.)

Family: Cupressaceae

Widdringtonia nodiflora is a bush/tree with a columnar crown and attains a height of 5-7 m. The slender and upright form of the mountain cedar during...

20 / 03 / 2006 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Trochomeria macrocarpa

Common names: bobbejaankomkommer (Afr.)

Family: Cucurbitaceae

The bright red, juicy fruits of this climber will attract birds to your garden....

20 / 03 / 2006 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria

Mimetes hirtus

Common names: marsh pagoda, red and yellow bottlebrush, tall pagoda, hairy mimetes, pineapple bush ( Eng. ); kreupelboom, vleistompie, rooistompie, pynappelstompie

Family: Proteaceae

Sima Eliovson, author of Proteas for pleasure, referred to Mimetes hirtus as 'the most magnificent species of Mimetes, the...

13 / 03 / 2006 | Von Witt C | CREW

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