Plants of the Week

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E.g., 14/12/2024
E.g., 14/12/2024

Ledebouria viscosa

Ledebouria viscosa (Connal Oosterbroek)
Common names: sticky-leaf African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This curious and enigmatic species of Ledebouria is highly unusual in the genus because of its viscous leaves which become sticky when wet, causing sand...

20 / 08 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Arctotis angustifolia

Arctotis angustifolia
Common names: narrow-leaved arctotis (Eng.); smalblaar gousblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This silvery-leaved perennial will light up many a garden with its bright orange or white flowers in spring....

27 / 08 / 2018 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Argyrolobium angustissimum

Argyrolobium angustissimum
Common names: Paarl Fire Pea
Family: Fabaceae

Argyrolobium angustissimum is an unassuming Cape peaflower which until relatively recently had been presumed possibly extinct.Figure 1. Argyrolobium angustissimum...

27 / 08 / 2018 | Randall Josephs | Compton Herbarium
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Aeollanthus haumannii

Aeollanthus haumannii
Common names: Otjihipa rock-sage (Eng.); Otjihipa-klipsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Aeollanthus haumannii is an aromatic, branched succulent with sticky, green leaves, bearing whitish mauve, 2-lipped flowers in autumn, only known from...

03 / 09 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Strophanthus amboensis

Strophanthus amboensis
Common names: elephant vine, knob-stemmed poisonrope (Eng.); knopstamgiftou (Afr.); omhundure (Otjiherero); mangala-ndumbu (Lunyaneka, Muila & Muquilenge); muzua-ng
Family: Apocynaceae

When the Elephant Vine is well maintained, it can grow into a reasonable-sized bushy tree with extraordinary pretty, faintly but sweet-scented flowers...

03 / 09 / 2018 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Euphorbia triangularis

Euphorbia triangularis
Common names: river euphorbia, chandelier-tree, tree euphorbia (Eng.); riviernaboom (Afr.); umhlonthlo (isiXhosa); umhlonhlowane, isiphapha (IsiZulu)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

A spiny, succulent tree with angled, segmented branches that leak a watery milky latex when damaged; it belongs in the spurge family, one of the largest...

10 / 09 / 2018 | Bathabile Ndlovu | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Maytenus procumbens

Maytenus procumbens, fruits. (Ernst van Jaarsveld)
Common names: dune koko tree (Eng.); duinekokoboom (Afr.); umphono-phono (isiXhosa) umphophonono; (isiZulu)
Family: Celastraceae

As the species name suggests, Maytenus procumbens is a tidy and procumbent coastal shrub or small tree. It is very pleasing to the eye especially with...

10 / 09 / 2018 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bauhinia petersiana subsp. macrantha

Bauhinia petersiana subsp. macrantha
Common names: Kalahari bauhinia, Kalahari camel’s foot, coffee neat's foot (Eng.); kalaharibauhinia, kalaharibeesklou, koffiebeesklou (Afr.); motsantsa, mogotswe
Family: Fabaceae

This low-growing, evergreen tree or scrambler, boasts with large, pleasantly scented white flowers in midsummer....

17 / 09 / 2018 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Barleria rigida var. rigida

Barleria rigida var. rigida
Common names: scorpion thistle (Eng.); skerpioendissel (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

Your first choice plant for the sunny dry areas in your garden....

17 / 09 / 2018 | Willem Froneman | Lowveld NBG
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Selago villicaulis ‘Purple Turtle’

Selago villicaulis 'Purple Turtle'
Common names: purple turtle selago
Family: Scrophulariaceae

This is a low growing perennial with striking lavender flowers, which appear twice in a year, in midwinter to spring and in midsummer, and sporadically...

24 / 09 / 2018 | Sinikeziwe Ncaphayi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Rhynchosia albissima

Rhynchosia albissima
Common names: silver snoutbean
Family: Fabaceae

A bright yellow-flowered, robust and erect indigenous herb, velvety with silvery grey hairs. Its roots are used in traditional medicine to treat male impotence,...

24 / 09 / 2018 | M.S. Mothogoane | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Pelargonium carnosum subsp. carnosum

Pelargonium carnosum
Common names: fleshy-stalk pelargonium (Eng.); vetplantmalva (Afr.)
Family: Geraniaceae

This attractive, drought-resistant, deciduous, succulent pelargonium is a winter grower that does not sprout after fire....

01 / 10 / 2018 | Samkelisiwe Ntuli | Karoo Desert NBG
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Euryops linifolius

Euryops linifolius
Common names: narrow-leaved resin bush (Eng.); smalblaarharpuisbos (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Euryops linifolius is a lovely evergreen shrub with grey-green, needle-like foliage and bright yellow flowers in spring. Occurring naturally in the drier...

01 / 10 / 2018 | Sanele Nkosi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Coleus tenuicaulis

Coleus tenuicaulis
Common names: Angolan blue coleus (Eng.); Angola blouspoorsalie (Afr.)
Family: Lamiaceae

Coleus tenuicaulis is an aromatic shrub with panicles of dark blue flowers in autumn and winter, from the southwestern highlands of Angola. Easily...

08 / 10 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Haworthiopsis

Different growth forms of Haworthiopsis. (S.D. Gildenhuys)
Family: Asphodelaceae

These very attractive, miniature leaf succulents vary from little star-like rosettes to stemmed plants with compactly arranged leaves, very often with...

08 / 10 / 2018 | Ronell R. Klopper | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ursinia paleacea

Ursinia paleacea in habitat, visited by a monkey beetle.
Common names: long-stalk parachute daisy (Eng.); geelmagriet (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This cheerful and resilient perennial is a must for any fynbos garden!...

15 / 10 / 2018 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Erica rhopalantha var. rhopalantha

Erica rhopalantha (Loretta Floors)
Common names: club-shaped erica (Eng.); maroenheide, pienkheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

...

15 / 10 / 2018 | Karen Wall | Harold Porter NBG
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Ledebouria apertiflora

Ledebouria apertiflora
Common names: desert African hyacinth
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A medium-sized bulbous plant normally associated with arid areas. This species is widely distributed over a vast area of South Africa, most common in the...

22 / 10 / 2018 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Scadoxus membranaceus

Scadoxus membranaceus
Common names: dwarf paintbrush, (Eng.); seeroogblom (Afr.); idumbi (Zul.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

This beautiful, compact growing, evergreen Scadoxus has spirally arranged leaves and striking red flowerheads that resemble a paint brush, surrounded by...

29 / 10 / 2018 | Nomama Mei | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Eucomis comosa

Eucomis comosa var. comosa flowers. (Neil Crouch)
Common names: slender pineapple flower (Eng.); krulkoppie, pynappellelie (Afr.); ubuhlungu-becanti (Zul. and Xho.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

This is one of the sweet-scented species in the genus Eucomis, which is one of the reasons why it is such a popular garden plant. Like other pineapple...

29 / 10 / 2018 | Dineo Dibakwane | Walter Sisulu NBG
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