Plants of the Week

Protea neriifolia

Common names: oleander-leaf protea, narrow-leaf protea (Eng.), baardsuikerbos, baardsuikerkan, blousuikerkan (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea neriifolia is an excellent plant for the garden and an outstanding and long lasting cut flower....

30 / 07 / 2001 | Hanneke Jamieson | 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

Protea obtusifolia

Common names: Bredasdorp protea, limestone protea, limestone sugarbush (Eng.); Bredasdorpsuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea obtusifolia has shiny, richly coloured flower heads during winter, and it is one of the few proteas that thrive in alkaline or acidic soils,...

27 / 07 / 2009 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea repens

Common names: sugarbush, common sugarbush, real sugarbush, honey protea (Eng.), suikerbos, stroopbos, opregtesuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea repens is an excellent addition to any wildlife-friendly garden as the large amount of nectar produced by the flowers attracts birds, bees and other...

03 / 06 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea rubropilosa

Common names: transvaal sugarbush, transvaal mountain protea, red velvet protea, escarpment protea (Eng.); transvaalbergsuikerbos (Afr.); segwapi (Sotho)

Family: Proteaceae

The transvaal sugarbush is a striking protea. It has a neat habit and provides year round interest in the garden....

14 / 11 / 2011 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea scolymocephala

Common names: thistle protea, thistle sugarbush, small green protea, scoly ( Eng. ); kleingroenroos, witskollie (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

Protea scolymocephala is a dainty shrub bearing abundant pink-tinged, creamy-green flowerheads in winter/spring, ideal for small gardens on the sandy...

21 / 08 / 2006 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Protea stokoei

Common names: pink sugarbush

Family: Proteaceae

The Cape Floristic Region is known for its extraordinary plant diversity and for the gems that can be found amongst it. One of these gems is Protea...

24 / 05 / 2010 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Protea susannae

Common names: stink-leaf sugarbush (Eng.); stinkblaarsuikerbos (Afr.)

Family: Proteaceae

This easy-to-grow protea has lovely flowers throughout the winter months....

31 / 01 / 2011 | Olivia Tyambetyu | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership

Protorhus longifolia

Common names: red beech, purple currant, red Cape beech (Eng.); rooiboekenhout, rooimelkhout (Afr.); ikhubalo, isifuce (isiXhosa); umkomiso, uzintlwa (isiZulu)

Family: Anacardiaceae

The red beech is an excellent evergreen garden tree, quick growing and easily grown from seed. It attracts birds to a garden....

02 / 07 / 2012 | Alec Naidoo | Pretoria NBG

Prunus africana

Common names: red stinkwood, African almond ( Eng. ); rooistinkhout, Afrika-amandel, Wilde-kersieboom (Afr.); Inyazangoma-elimnyama, Inkokhokho, Ngubozinyeweni, Umd

Family: Rosaceae

The fissured stem of this tree, popular for its medicinal properties, has been admired by many gardeners....

30 / 10 / 2006 | Siyabulela Nonjinge | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia

Common names: kudu berry ( Eng. ); koedoebessie (Afr.); Mutondowa (Tshivenda)

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia is the only species in this genus. It occurs only on the African continent....

21 / 04 / 2008 | T Ratshibvumo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pseudoscolopia polyantha

Common names: false red pear ( Eng. ); valsrooipeer (Afr

Family: Salicaceae

Pseudoscolopia polyantha is a rare, near-threatened and little known tree restricted to a threatened habitat-forest margins....

14 / 07 / 2008 | Suvarna Parbhoo | CREW

Pseudoselago serrata

Common names: saw-tooth powderpuff, saw-tooth false selago (Eng.); blouaarbossie (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

This striking, hardy perennial is the perfect filler to provide cheerful mauve blooms which attract butterflies and a host of other insects, increasing...

12 / 12 / 2005 | Antonia Xaba | Harold Porter NBG

Psoralea pinnata

Common names: fountain bush (Eng.); fonteinbos, bloukeur, penwortel (Afr.); umHlonishwa (Zulu)

Family: Fabaceae

Psoralea pinnata is an erect shrub or small tree which grows up to 4 m high, with blue, lilac and white pea-shaped flowers which bloom from October...

23 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG

Psychotria capensis

Common names: black bird-berry, bird-berry, bastard lemonwood, lemon bush (Eng.); swart-voelbessie, voelbessie, baster-lemoenhout, lemoenbos (Afr.); iZele, isiThiti

Family: Rubiaceae

Bulbuls, robins and barbets are a few of the locals spotted dining at the black bird-berry, with its attractive glossy foliage and showy red and yellow...

29 / 11 / 2004 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG

Pteleopsis myrtifolia

Common names: stink-bushwillow (South Africa), two-winged stinkbush (Namibia), two-winged stink-bushwillow (Zimbabwe); stinkboswilg; musunganyemba (ChiManyika), mus

Family: Combretaceae

Here we have a very attractive and under-appreciated tree, most often seen in one of the most unusual environments in South Africa, namely the sandveld...

30 / 05 / 2011 | Hugh Glen | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium

Pterocarpus angolensis

Common names: kiaat, bloodwood, paddle-wood, sealing-wax tree, wild teak, Transvaal teak (Eng.); kiaat, bloedhout, dolfhout, greinhout, kajatenhout, lakhout, wilde-

Family: Fabaceae

A brown and papery, spiky, fried egg is what the seed pod of this beautiful tree looks like. The pods remain on the tree long after the leaves have fallen...

03 / 02 / 2003 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus

Common names: candlewood, cherrywood (English), kershout, kersiehout, rooikersiehout, witpeer, witpeerhout (Afrikaans), iBholo, iTywina, uTwina (isiXhosa).

Family: Celastraceae

When in fruit this widely distributed, evergreen bush or tree is a lovely sight, decorated with masses of brilliant orange fruit, which are enjoyed by...

29 / 08 / 2005 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG