Plants of the Week

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E.g., 24/11/2024
E.g., 24/11/2024

Crassula tecta

Crassula tecta with old inflorescence
Common names: lizard skin crassula (Eng.); akkedisvel (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

A diminutive and attractive grey-leaved succulent that is easy to grow and makes a great pot plant....

17 / 06 / 2013 | Adam Harrower | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crassula streyi

Crassula streyi
Common names: Pondo cliff crassula (Eng.); pondo-plakkie (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

This forest jewel with deep green and red leaves grows in the deep shade of the coastal forest growing the sandstone cliffs of the Pondoland river gorges....

03 / 02 / 2003 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Crinum

Crinum bulbispermum
Common names: river lily, veld lily (Eng.); rivierlelie, veldlelie (Afr.); umNduze (Zulu)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Crinum is a fascinating genus of the large and equally captivating Amaryllidaceae family. Larger in stature than most other species of Amaryllidaceae,...

20 / 09 / 2004 | Robert Archer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Crinum bulbispermum

Crinum bulbispermum
Common names: Orange River lily, Vaal River lily (Eng.); Oranjerivierlelie (Afr.); umnduze (Zulu).
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Crinum bulbispermum is a highly attractive garden subject and can be grown all over South Africa provided it is given adequate water during its growing...

15 / 10 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Crinum campanulatum

Crinum campanulatum
Common names: water crinum, marsh lily (Eng.); vleilelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The beautiful Crinum campanulatum from the Eastern Cape is an aquatic geophytic plant that deserves more recognition and attention in gardens of South...

30 / 10 / 2006 | Werner Voigt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crinum macowanii

Crinum macowanii
Common names: river crinum, river lily, common vlei-lily, Sabie crinum, Cape coast lily (Eng.); rivierlelie, boslelie, Sabielelie (Afr.); intelezi (isiXhosa); umduz
Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

11 / 11 / 2013 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Crinum moorei

Crinum moorei
Common names: Natal lily, Moore's crinum, Ngomi lily, Inanda lily (Eng.); boslelie, Natallelie, Ngomilelie, rivierlelie (Afr.); umnduze (Zulu)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The Natal lily, Crinum moorei, with its large, white to pinkish red, open tubular flowers, literally glows in the dappled shade of the century-old...

25 / 10 / 2004 | S Khanyile | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Crinum paludosum

Crinum paludosum
Common names: bushveld vlei lily
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This is a very beautiful lily with funnel-shaped flowers that are white to pale pink, enhanced by reddish stigmas. Crinum paludosum is a slender,...

19 / 05 / 2003 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Crocosmia masoniorum

Flowers
Common names: swan crocosmia
Family: Iridaceae

Arguably the loveliest all Crocosmia species, C. masoniorum deserves to be more widely grown than it is. Rare in the wild, it has nevertheless...

07 / 03 / 2005 | John Manning | Compton Herbarium
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Crotalaria natalitia var. natalitia

Crotalaria natalitia var. natalitia flowers
Common names: pioneer rattlepod (Eng.); usi, uvelabahleke (isiZulu)
Family: Fabaceae

The pioneer rattlepod is a shrubby yellow-flowered plant with a scent attractive to honeybees....

06 / 08 / 2012 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Crotalaria capensis

Flowers. Photo copyright Geoff Nichols
Common names: Cape rattle-pod, Cape laburnum (Eng.); Kaapse klapperpeul (Afr.); bukheshezane (Zulu)
Family: Fabaceae

Clusters of large golden yellow flowers and seedpod bunches that rattle with dry seeds make this quick-growing shrub a delight in any garden....

05 / 03 / 2007 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Croton gratissimus

Croton gratissimus ( Image copyright Geoff Nichols)
Common names: bergboegoe, ilabele, inkubathi, isikhumampuphu, korannaboegoe, lavender croton, lavender fever berry, laventelbos, laventelkoorsbessie, maloga
Family: Euphorbiaceae

This is an attractive and versatile deciduous shrub or small tree in the home garden, but capable of becoming a large tree in certain instances....

19 / 12 / 2005 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Croton pseudopulchellus

Flowers and leaves
Common names: small lavender fever-berry (Eng.); kleinlaventelkoorsbessie, sandkoorsbessie (Afr.); uHubeshane (isiZulu)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A pale white/yellow-flowered, shrubby, perennial plant with a sweet smell that attracts many insects....

24 / 09 / 2012 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Croton sylvaticus

Croton sylvaticus tree. Photo G. Nichols
Common names: forest fever-berry, woodland croton (Eng.); boskoorsbessie (Afr.), umFeze, uMagwaqane (Xhosa); umHloshazane, uGebeleweni, umZilanyoni, inDumbahlozi (Z
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Croton sylvaticus is a beautiful, spreading, leafy tree, up to 21 m, high sometimes less, usually with a tall, straight trunk up to 1 m in diameter....

25 / 08 / 2008 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG
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Cryptocarya wyliei

Cryptocarya wyliei. Image © G. Nichols
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
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Cryptocarya woodii

Leaves and green fruits
Common names: Cape laurel, Cape Quince, bastard camphor tree (E): rooikweper,Kaapse kweper (A); isithungwa, inqayana, ixobothi (Xhosa) umngcabe, umnqayane, isililan
Family: Lauraceae

This is a handsome tree for small gardens with a lovely shape when properly pruned. The shiny, purple-black fleshy fruits are showy and complemented by...

19 / 12 / 2005 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Cucumis africanus

Fruits
Common names: wild cucumber, wild gherkin (Eng.); wilde agurkie, doringkomkommertjie (Afr.); monyaku (Pedi); mthangazana (Xhosa); isende-lenja, uselwa-lwemamba (Zul
Family: Cucurbitaceae

The fruits of this species, looking like small, prickly and striped cucumbers, were pickled and preserved in old Cape kitchens....

14 / 03 / 2005 | M Welman | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Cucumis metuliferus

Cucumis metuliferus fruit
Common names: African horned cucumber, jelly melon, kiwano (Eng.); rooi-agurkie, rooikomkommer (Afr.); mokapana (Tswana)
Family: Cucurbitaceae

This African climber is cultivated in various parts of the world for its showy, edible fruits....

10 / 08 / 2009 | M Welman | Pretoria NBG
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Cunonia capensis

Cunonia capensis
Common names: red alder, butterspoon tree (English); rooiels (Afrikaans); umqwashube (Xhosa); umlulama (Zulu)
Family: Cunoniaceae

Cunonia capensis is a beautiful evergreen garden tree which attracts insects to its flowers....

05 / 03 / 2001 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Curtisia dentata

Curtisia dentata
Common names: assegai (Eng.); assegaai (Afr.); uSirayi, umGxina (Xhosa); umLahleni (Xhosa, Zulu); uMagunda, uMaginda, umBese, umPhephelelangeni (Zulu); iliNcayi, is
Family: Cornaceae

Curtisia dentata is a handsome, evergreen tree with beautiful foliage that looks good throughout the year. It has great potential as a garden tree, an...

05 / 07 / 2004 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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