Plants of the Week

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E.g., 05/12/2024
E.g., 05/12/2024

Brachystelma gerrardii

Brachystelma gerrardii
Common names: Gerrard’s Brachystelma (Eng.)
Family: Apocynaceae

The shiny, lush, metallic green, or sometimes black flowers, are a rare delight to the eyes. Although having an extensive range across 3 provinces, this...

29 / 03 / 2021 | Aaliyah Motala | CREW
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Cyrtanthus elatus

Cyrtanthus elatus
Common names: George lily, Scarborough lily (Eng.); george-lelie, knysna-lelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Cyrtanthus elatus is a bulbous plant from the fynbos, with spectacular, scarlet, deep red, rose-pink or rarely, white blooms, which appear from late spring...

29 / 03 / 2021 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Acalypha punctata

Acalypha punctata
Common names: sticky brooms and brushes (Eng.); umsongo (Swa.); usunundu (Zul.)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

An unusual herbaceous perennial, with a distinctive and very strong scent, not common in commercial horticulture....

05 / 04 / 2021 | Sicelo Sithole | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe grandidentata

Aloe grandidentata
Common names: dwarf soap aloe (Eng.); bontaalwyn, kleinbontaalwyn, kanniedood (Afr.); lekghala (Sso.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

A low-growing, cluster-forming aloe with attractive, white-spotted leaves and tall inflorescences of pinkish red, tubular flowers in early spring; well...

05 / 04 / 2021 | Samuel Lekhetho | Free State NBG
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Bulbine ramosa

Bulbine ramosa
Common names: Badspoort bulbine (Eng.); badspoortkopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine ramosa is an obligatory cliff-hugger, with bright green, ascending, pencil-like, tapering leaves and a solitary inflorescence of yellow flowers...

05 / 04 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Stapelia gigantea

Flowering plant of Stapelia gigantea in habitat. (Photo Cameron McMaster)
Common names: giant stapelia, giant carrion flower, carrion flower (Eng.); reuseaasblom, aasblom, duikershoring, haasoor (Afr.); ililo elikhulu, isihlehle, uzililo
Family: Apocynaceae

Stapelia gigantea has the largest flowers (up to 40 cm across) of any plant in our region and is one of the easiest stapeliads to grow. Plants are widely...

12 / 04 / 2021 | Stoffel Petrus Pieter Bester | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica densifolia

Erica densifolia
Common names: sticky red-and-green heath (Eng.)
Family: Ericaceae

This evergreen shrub produces tubular red flowers with light yellow tips, from spring until autumn, and is a great addition for attracting birds to your...

12 / 04 / 2021 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Elegia spathacea

Elegia spathacea
Common names: pagoda goldreed (Eng.)
Family: Restionaceae

This is a small, aesthetic, slender plant, with striking tan-coloured spathes with reddish brown speckles, suitable for planting in containers....

19 / 04 / 2021 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Bulbine rupicola

Bulbine rupicola
Common names: dwarf cliff bulbine (Eng.); dwergkopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

A dwarf cliff-hugger, with numerous dwarf rosettes of dull green, rounded, soft, succulent leaves from cliffs in the southwestern corner of the Eastern...

19 / 04 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Gerrardanthus tomentosus

Gerrardanthus tomentosus
Common names: hairy gerrardanthus
Family: Cucurbitaceae

An uncommon tendril climber, with dark green, triangularly lobed leaves and a large succulent caudex, that grows among boulders and stones, in moist, shaded...

26 / 04 / 2021 | Buyisiwe Dlwati | CREW
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Bulbine thomasiae

Bulbine thomasiae
Common names: Mbashe bulbine (Eng.); mbashekopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine thomasiae is an obligatory cliff-hugger, with rosettes of dull green, soft, succulent leaves that grow from the shale cliff faces along the Mbashe...

26 / 04 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Helichrysum sutherlandii

Helichrysum sutherlandii
Common names: Sutherland’s everlasting (Eng.); molepelle, ntlo-ea mokhobane, senkotoana (Sesotho)
Family: Asteraceae

This is an attractive shrublet and an ideal ornamental garden plant because of its grey foliage....

03 / 05 / 2021 | Sisanda Alakhe Velembo-Mhlauli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Haworthiopsis tessellata

Haworthiopsis tessellata
Common names: veined haworthiopsis (Eng.); venstertjie (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

This species forms small to large clumps of numerous, small plants made up of short, leafy stems. Its leaves are customarily dark green, more or less deltoid,...

03 / 05 / 2021 | Sihle Nqentsu | Pretoria NBG
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Didelta spinosa

Didelta spinosa
Common names: spiny salad bush (Eng.); perdebos, perdebossie, slaaibos, slaaibossie, t'arda (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

Didelta spinosa is a fast-growing shrub or small tree with bright green leaves and large yellow flowers in winter and spring, that is drought-resistant...

10 / 05 / 2021 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Sesamum senecioides

Dicerocaryum senecioides
Common names: devil’s thorn, boot protectors, stud plant (Eng.); elandsdoring (Afr.); museto (Tshivenda)
Family: Pedaliaceae

A prostrate perennial, with annual creeping stems and white to pinkish flowers. It takes over open spaces in grassland and it is used as substitute for...

10 / 05 / 2021 | Meshack Nethavhani | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Zanthoxylum humile

Zanthoxylum humile
Common names: hairy knobwood (Eng.); harige knophout, harige perdepram (Afr.); monokwane (Sepedi)
Family: Rutaceae

The hairy knobwood is dressed in a layer of short, grey hairs along its branches and armed with dark, sharp thorns, as if it is fully aware of its medicinal...

17 / 05 / 2021 | Lesiba Papo | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Ledebouria inquinata

Ledebouria inquinata
Common names: wild African hyacinth (Eng.); bokhoe (Sesotho.); icubudwana (isiZulu.); inqwebebane, ubuhlungu (isiXhosa.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

A dwarf bulbous plant with tapered green leaves, which are usually attractively spotted with dark brown spots and blotches. The bulbs are covered with...

17 / 05 / 2021 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Bulbine latifolia var. curvata

Bulbine latifolia var. curvata
Common names: curved-leaf bulbine (Eng.); kromblaarkopieva (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Bulbine latifolia var. curvata has a solitary rosette of firm, linear-lanceolate, succulent leaves, distinctly curving downwards. It is a cliff-squatting...

24 / 05 / 2021 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Staavia radiata

Staavia radiata
Common names: mini diamond eyes (Eng.); altydbos, altydbossie, glasogies (Afr.)
Family: Bruniaceae

A daisy-like fynbos shrub and a favourite in horticulture, with a good reputation, as it responds well to being trimmed and maintained, once propagated....

24 / 05 / 2021 | Siqamo Yeko | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Diascia mollis

Diascia mollis
Common names: trailing Transkei twinspur (Eng.); horingkies (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Sweet, rewarding, ground covering herbaceous perennial for both light-sunny and semi-shaded areas, adding bright colour to the garden and hanging baskets...

31 / 05 / 2021 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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