Plants of the Week

Agathosma serpyllacea

Common names: thyme buchu (Eng.), wildeboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This pink, white or purple flowered buchu is an eye-catcher in a pot or in the garden when flowering....

13 / 08 / 2012 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agathosma thymifolia

Common names: limestone buchu, thyme-leaf buchu (Eng.) kalk boegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This bushy shrub colours the veld in hues of pink and mauve during winter. It is a must-have for sandy coastal fynbos gardens....

28 / 07 / 2014 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Agave americana

Common names: American agave, American aloe, century plant (Eng.); Amerikaanse aalwee, Amerikaanse aalwyn, blou-aalwee, blougaringboom, gareboom, kaalgaarboom, maka

Family: Agavaceae

Century plants are popular ornamental plants that are native to Central America, southern North and northern South America. Agave americana is no exception...

14 / 08 / 2017 | Cynthia Mikateko Baloyi | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ajuga ophrydis

Common names: bugle plant (Eng.); moonyane, se-nyarela (S. Sotho)

Family: Lamiaceae

A perennial herb that can grow 60–250 mm high, with beautiful mauve, white or blue flowers. It is usually distributed in grassland areas and...

29 / 08 / 2016 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Alberta magna

Common names: Natal flame bush (Eng), Breekhout (Afr) uMabophe, isiQalaba (Xhosa), iGibampondo, umCumane (Zulu)

Family: Rubiaceae

This is a very impressive indigenous shrub or tree, especially when in flower or fruit. Alberta magna is not only treasured by tree collectors and gardeners...

12 / 07 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albizia adianthifolia var. adianthifolia

Common names: flat-crown albizia, rough-bark flat-crown, West African albizia (Eng.); platkroon (Afr.); umgadankawu, iGowane, umNalahanga, umNebelele, uSolu (Zulu);

Family: Fabaceae

Are you looking for a fabulous shade tree, rich in a unique cultural history and adored by elephants and butterflies alike? Then look no further than the...

22 / 01 / 2007 | Alicia Krige | National Herbarium Pretoria

Albizia antunesiana

Common names: purple-leaved false-thorn (Eng.), persblaarvalsdoring (Afr.)

Family: Fabaceae

An attractive deciduous tree with a flattened, umbrella-shaped crown, large greenish to yellow, half-spherical, fluffy flower heads that make the tree...

23 / 01 / 2023 | Caroline Marima | Pretoria NBG

Albizia suluensis

Common names: Zulu false-thorn, Zulu albizia (Eng.); zuluvalsdoring (Afr.); ingwebu-enkulu, ungwebo omkulu, unyazangoma (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

A beautiful, elegant tree only found in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It is known for its hard and durable timber. It is very similar to Albizia lebbeck,...

06 / 11 / 2017 | Tlou Moloto | National Herbarium Pretoria

Albizia tanganyicensis subsp. tanganyicensis

Common names: paperbark false-thorn, paperbark albizia, sneezewood (Eng.); papierbasvalsdoring (Afr.); ugudha-mfeni (isiXhosa); mulelu, munungufhefhe (Tshivenda)

Family: Fabaceae

A very attractive tree with white to ochre peeling bark and creamy white, sweetly scented flowers in early summer, suitable for any medium-sized garden;...

10 / 07 / 2017 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albizia versicolor

Common names: poison-pod albizia, large-leaved albizia, large-leaved false-thorn, (Eng.); umphiso, umbhangazi, umvangazi (isiZulu); grootblaarvalsdoring, sandkiaat

Family: Fabaceae

Albizia versicolor is a very attractive tree with its large white to greenish-yellow flower heads, bright green to reddish pods and straight trunk with...

27 / 06 / 2022 | Sboniso Zwane | Pretoria NBG

Albuca batteniana

Common names: Wild Coast Albuca

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca batteniana is not a commonly grown garden plant, but a collector's jewel and specialist species. Albucas, as can be seen from the photograph,...

08 / 08 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albuca bracteata

Common names: pregnant onion, false sea onion, sea-onion (Eng.); witui (Afr.); umababaza (isiZulu); masxabana (isiXhosa)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

A clump-forming bulbous geophyte with green and white flowers on tall stems during summer, the common name pregnant onion is derived from the onion-like...

11 / 03 / 2024 | Mlondi Sikhosana | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Albuca deaconii

Common names: yellow cliff albuca (Eng.); krans-slymstok (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca deaconii is a solitary to cluster-forming, bulbous cliff-hanger from the southeastern Cape. The long, leek-like leaves and extended racemes, both...

14 / 03 / 2019 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albuca heydenrychii

Common names: yellow cliff-albuca (Eng.); krans-slymstok (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Albuca heydenrychii is a cliff-dwelling, bulbous plant with soft, flaccid leaves up to 1 m long and a raceme of bright yellow flowers in midsummer. It...

27 / 07 / 2020 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Albuca lebaensis

Common names: Leba cliff albuca (Eng.); lebakransbol (Afr.)

Family: Hyacinthaceae

A rare endemic from cliffs adjacent to Leba Pass, near Lubango, in southwestern Angola. It has drooping leaves and a pendent inflorescence of densely packed,...

29 / 01 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | 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

Alepidea amatymbica

Common names: giant alepidea, larger tinsel flower (Eng.); kalmoes, slangwortel (Afr.); iqwili (isiXhosa); ikhathazo (isiZulu); lesoko (South Sotho), inkatsankatsa

Family: Apiaceae

Alepidea amatymbica has extremely popular and highly sought after rhizomes, for medicinal use, and is an important component of the healer's pharmacy....

26 / 05 / 2003 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Alepidea cordifolia

Common names: heart-leaf alepidea (Eng.); iqwili (isiXhosa); ikhathazo (isiZulu); lesoko (South Sotho), inkatsankatsa (Swazi)

Family: Apiaceae

A robust, erect herbaceous perennial, with flat-topped flowerheads bearing several star-shaped, white to cream and greenish flowers. It is becoming increasingly...

31 / 10 / 2022 | Mashudu Tshitereke | Walter Sisulu NBG

Alepidea genus

Common names: alepidea, tinsel flower (Eng.); kalmoes (Afr.); ikhathazo (isiZulu); iqwili (isiXhosa); lesoko (South Sotho); inkatsankatsa (Swazi)

Family: Apiaceae

Alepidea is one of only two African-endemic genera within the Saniculeae tribe of the Apiaceae, the other being its sister genus Arctopus. Southern Africa...

22 / 07 / 2024 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG

Alepidea natalensis

Common names: Natal star flower

Family: Apiaceae

A dainty perennial with starry white flowers on long stalks, from the grasslands of the Drakensberg....

21 / 11 / 2016 | Lungani Mlaba | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

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