Plants of the Week

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E.g., 07/12/2024
E.g., 07/12/2024

Philenoptera sutherlandii

Philenoptera sutherlandii
Common names: forest apple-leaf, giant umzimbeet, bastard umzimbeet (Eng.); bosappelblaar, reuseomsambeet, basteromsambeet (Afr.); umsimbishana, umsimbithana (isiZu
Family: Fabaceae

A large and handsome evergreen tree, with showy pink or purple flowers in midsummer, that grows mainly in forest habitat....

19 / 07 / 2021 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Philenoptera violacea

Philenoptera violacea tree
Common names: apple-leaf (Eng.); appelblaar (Afr.); umBhandu, umPhanda, isiHomohomo (isiZulu)
Family: Fabaceae

The wood of this attractive, hard, frost-sensitive "rain-tree" makes a stunning ornamental display....

14 / 12 / 2009 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Phoenix reclinata

Phoenix reclinata :Photo:G Nichols
Common names: wild date palm (Eng.); wilde-dadelboom (Afr.); mopalamo (Northern Sotho); moséfa (Tswana); isundu (Xhosa, Zulu)
Family: Arecaceae

This graceful palm with its characteristic slender, leaning stems is a feature of riverine bush and forest in the eastern parts of the country. It is almost...

11 / 10 / 2004 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Phragmites australis

Phragmitesaustralis in flower
Common names: commom reed; fluitjiesriet (Afr.); lehlaka (SeSotho.); umHlanga (isiZulu.); lutanga (Tshivenda.)
Family: Poaceae

Phragmites australia is a  cosmopolitan perennial grass/reed with grey-green leaves and a light brown to purple inflorescence and the flowers are...

12 / 01 / 2015 | Aluoneswi Caroline Mashau | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Phygelius aequalis

Phygelius aequalis
Common names: river bell, wild fuchsia (Eng.); foksia, rivierklokkie (Afr.); metsi-matso (Southern Sotho)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

A beautiful, lush, fast-growing, evergreen perennial, with spikes of showy trumpet-shaped, red or yellow flowers and a long blooming season....

23 / 07 / 2007 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phygelius capensis

Phygelius capensis, flowers. (Photo Geoff Nichols)
Common names: southern river bell, wild fuchsia, Cape fuchsia (Eng.); rivierklokkie, foksia (Afr.); metsi-matsho (Sesotho)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Phygelius capensis is a hardy, evergreen semi-shrub that bears wonderful bright red or orange, drooping, tubular flowers throughout summer. ...

08 / 07 / 2019 | Stemmer Ngalo | Free State NBG
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Phylica buxifolia

Phylica buxifolia
Common names: box-leaf phylica, box hard-leaf (Eng.); bukshardeblaar (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

This compact rounded shrub or small tree makes a good background or screening plant and should find a place in indigenous gardens near the coast, especially...

16 / 12 / 2002 | Berenice Carolus | Harold Porter NBG
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Phylica ericoides

Phylica ericoides
Common names: heath phylica, ericoid phylica ( Eng. ); hardebos (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

Phylica ericoides is a tough but decorative little shrub with dark green foliage and masses of showy white flower heads during autumn-winter, perfect...

16 / 04 / 2007 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phylica gnidioides

Phylica gnidioides
Common names: pink phylica, pink hardleaf (Eng.); pienk-hardebos (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

Phylica is a genus predominantly found in the Cape flora with about 138 species, of which 90% are endemic. The genus exhibits a significant range of shrub...

13 / 06 / 2016 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phylica pubescens

Flowerheads
Common names: featherhead (Eng.); veerkoppie (Afr.)
Family: Rhamnaceae

This attractive bush is densely covered with hairy leaves and each hair seems to gather the sunlight and make it glow. Early morning or late afternoon...

06 / 12 / 2004 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Phyllanthus reticulatus

Phyllanthus reticulatus foliage
Common names: potato plant, roast potato plant (Eng); aartappelbos (Afr); intaba-yengwe, umchumelo (isiZulu); thethenya (xiTsonga)
Family: Phyllanthaceae

Phyllanthus reticulatus is usually a dense deciduous shrub or small tree with a distinct smell that is emitted by the minute flowers when they open...

21 / 06 / 2010 | Mandisa Kondlo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Phymaspermum acerosum

Image of P. acerosum in habitat
Common names: geelblombos (Afr.), isibhaha-segceke, umhlonishwa (Zulu)
Family: Asteraceae

The geelblombos will brighten up any dull area in the garden during the autumn months....

21 / 07 / 2008 | Karen Wall | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Phymaspermum appressum

Phymaspermum appressum
Common names: none
Family: Asteraceae

Phymaspermum appressum is a drought resistant, Cape daisy shrub with striking white, fading to pink and finally purple, flowers....

11 / 03 / 2019 | Anthony R. Magee | Compton Herbarium
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Piliostigma thonnigii

PiIiostigma thonningii tree
Common names: camel's foot (Eng.); kameelspoor (Afr.); mukolokote (Venda); mokgoropo (North Sotho); nkolokotso (TS)
Family: Fabaceae

This is a deciduous tree suitable for a large garden. It has large 2-lobed leathery leaves....

08 / 11 / 2010 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Pittosporum viridiflorum

Pittosporum viridiflorum
Common names: Cheesewood, White Cape Beech (E), Kasuur, Witboekenhout (A), umVusamvu, Umkhwenkwe, Umphushamvu, Umphushane (Z), Kgalagangwe (NS), Mosetlela (SS), Mpu
Family: Pittosporaceae

This evergreen tree was selected to be one of the Trees of the Year for 2002....

28 / 01 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Platycarpha

Platycarpha glomerata
Common names: imboziza, inyathelo, imbozisayabesuthu (Zulu for P. glomerata )
Family: Asteraceae

Platycarpha is a relatively unknown genus of three species endemic to southern Africa. The plants are unusual because the inflorescences occur in the...

25 / 12 / 2006 | Marinda Koekemoer | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Platycaulos callistachyus

Platycaulos callistachyus female flowers
Common names: none
Family: Restionaceae

Platycaulos callistachyus is a little known restio. Its interesting culms and dense growth make it a worthy landscaping plant suited to any medium...

08 / 06 / 2009 | Louise Nurrish | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Platylophus trifoliatus

Platylophus trifoliatus
Common names: white-alder, white-els (Eng.); witels, witelsboom, witte-els, witte-elsboom, witte-elshout (Afr.) Synonyms: Weinmannia trifoliata L.f.; Trimerisma tr
Family: Cunoniaceae

Finding large specimens of this tree in their habitat, may make you think that you have wandered into a forest inhabited by the characters found in ‘The...

17 / 04 / 2017 | Jane Forrester | Harold Porter NBG
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Plecostachys serpyllifolia

Plecostachys serpyllifolia
Common names: cobwebbush (Eng.); vaaltee, kooigoed (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

An easy-to-grow, grey-leaved perennial that forms a mound as its slender stems tangle together most delightfully. Perfect for a mixed herbaceous border...

10 / 12 / 2012 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Plectranthus

Plectranthus eckloniii
Family: Lamiaceae

Plectranthus is the largest South African genus in the mint family (Lamiaceae), with 44 species natural to our region, most of which occur on the...

09 / 04 / 2001 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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