Plants of the Week

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E.g., 25/11/2024
E.g., 25/11/2024

Aptosimum procumbens

Aptosimum procumbens
Common names: carpet flower, Karoo violet (Eng.); kankerbos (Afr.)
Family: Scrophulariaceae

An ideal water-wise ground-cover plant for dry gardens, Aptosimum procumbens is one of the treasures of the arid and semi-arid parts of South Africa....

01 / 01 / 2003 | Werner Voigt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Aptenia cordifolia

Aptenia cordifolia
Common names: baby sun rose, red aptenia (Eng.); rooi brakvygie, brakvygie (Afr.); Ibohlololo, uncolozi omncane (Zulu)
Family: Aizoaceae

The glossy succulent leaves and bright magenta pink flowers are distinctive characteristics of Aptenia cordifolia. It is a well-known groundcover or creeping...

05 / 01 / 2009 | Norma Lucas | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aponogeton distachyos

Waterblommetjies in Kirstenbosch
Common names: Cape pondweed, water onion, water asparagus (Eng.); waterblommetjie, vleikos, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

This is a well known local delicacy for the cold winter months. It has become so popular that many commercial plantings have been made in ponds around...

06 / 08 / 2000 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aponogeton angustifolius

Aponogeton angustifolius showing white petals and ripe orange pollen. Photo Stuart Hall
Common names: delicate Cape-pondweed, narrow-leaved Cape-pondweed (Eng.); delikate waterblommetjie, wateruintjie (Afr.)
Family: Aponogetonaceae

Aponogeton angustifolius is a freshwater aquatic, with small, ornamental floating leaves and delicate, short sprays of white flowers. It is becoming increasingly...

05 / 09 / 2022 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Apodytes dimidiata subsp.dimidiata

Apodytes dimidiata
Common names: white pear, bird's eye (Eng.); witpeer (Afr.); umdakane (Xhosa); umdagane (Zulu); umdzagame (Swati) sephopha-madi, kgalagangwê (N. Sotho), tshiphopha
Family: Icacinaceae

Apodytes dimidiata is the ideal tree for the home garden as it does not have messy fruits and is safe to plant near the house, not disturbing the...

28 / 04 / 2003 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Apodolirion macowanii

Apodolirion macowanii
Common names: spiralled leaf ground lily, MacOwan’s ground lily
Family: Amaryllidaceae

The beautiful spiralled leaf Apodolirion macowanii has delicate, white flowers that open for just two days and have a strong sweet-scent, which might uplift...

04 / 11 / 2019 | Pamela Nondumiso Sgatya | CREW
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Apodolirion amyanum

Apodolirion amyanum
Common names: Amy’s apodolirion (Eng.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

...

21 / 09 / 2020 | Pamela Nondumiso Sgatya | CREW
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Antithrixia flavicoma

Antithrixia flavicoma shrub
Common names: None known
Family: Asteraceae

Antithrixia flavicoma is a beautiful but little-known shrub. With its large yellow flower heads and silvery-grey leaves it is immediately noticeable...

01 / 02 / 2010 | Nicola Bergh | Compton Herbarium
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Antidesma venosum

Antidesma venosum in fruit (Geoff Nichols)
Common names: Tasselberry (Eng.), Voëlsitboom, Tosselbessie (Afr.); isiBangamlotha, Isiqutwane, Umhlabahlungulu, Umhlalanyoni (isiZulu); modulane (Northern Sotho),
Family: Phyllanthaceae

This is an evergreen to semi-deciduous shrub or small tree with a dense, rounded crown, flowers in long, thin catkins that attract insects and insect-eating...

08 / 09 / 2014 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Anthospermum spathulatum subsp. spathulatum

Anthospermum spathulatum
Common names: spoon flowerseed, spathulate anthospermum, jackal's tail (Eng.), jakkalsstert, skaapbos (Afr.)
Family: Rubiaceae

A dense, woody shrublet with small, needle-like leaves densely covering the stems to form an interesting arrangement of foliaged branches....

08 / 01 / 2024 | Thabang Makola | Karoo Desert NBG
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Anthocleista grandiflora

Flowers
Common names: forest fever tree, big-leaf fever tree, big leaf, forest big-leaf, cabbage tree, tobacco tree (Eng.); grootblaarboom, koorsboom, wildetabakboom (Afr.)
Family: Gentianaceae

Anthocleista grandiflora is a striking tree with a tall straight trunk topped with a crown of huge leaves. It needs a warm, sunny garden with plenty of...

10 / 03 / 2014 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ansellia africana

Heavily spotten form Photo Martin von Flintel
Common names: leopard orchid (Eng.); luiperdorgidee (Afr.); imfeyenkawu(Zulu)
Family: Orchidaceae

...

24 / 11 / 2003 | B Tarr | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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Annona senegalensis

Ripe fruit of Annona senegalensis
Common names: wild custard apple, African custard apple (Eng.), wildesuikerappel (Afr.), umphofu (Zul.), umtelembu (Swa.), muyembe (Tso.), muembe (Ven.)
Family: Annonaceae

Annona senegalensis is a multi-stemmed, deciduous African fruit tree that is found in semi-arid to subhumid areas. It has a long history of traditional...

20 / 11 / 2023 | Accurate Sondlhana | Lowveld NBG
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Anisodontea scabrosa

Anisodontea scabrosa flower and foliage
Common names: rough-leaf African mallow, sand rose, pink mallow, hairy mallow (Eng.); sandroos, pienk-kiesieblaar, harigemalva (Afr.)
Family: Malvaceae

Who can resist a bright cheerful shrub that flowers throughout the year? This mallow is ideally suited for home gardens being able to withstand coastal...

02 / 05 / 2011 | N Stoll | Millennium Seed Bank Partnership
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Anisodontea julii

Anisodontea julii
Common names: Drakensberg mallow, mountain mallow, African mallow (Eng.); bergroos (Afr.); letjeane-la-noka, llefeta (SS)
Family: Malvaceae

Anisodontea julii, valued for its quick growth, is a tall, graceful shrub with velvety, maple-like leaves and wonderful displays of large pink flowers...

21 / 03 / 2005 | L Badenhorst | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anisodontea dissecta

Anisodontea dissecta
Common names: Ruens mallow (Eng.)
Family: Malvaceae

Anisodontea dissecta is an attractive shrub with a bright showy display of white to light pink flowers to brighten your garden in spring.Fig. 1: The white...

05 / 10 / 2020 | Lindokuhle Sibisi | Compton Herbarium
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Anginon difforme

Anginon difforme
Common names: common needle-leaf, common finkel (Eng.); wildevinkel, wildeseldery (Afr.)
Family: Apiaceae

Anginon difforme is an endemic of southern Africa with reduced, needle-like leaves that resemble pine needles, so much so that it sometimes is confused...

30 / 01 / 2023 | Nokukhanya Nozipho Mhlongo | Compton Herbarium
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Anemone vesicatoria

Leaves and flowers
Common names: blisterleaf (Eng.); brandblaar, katjiedrieblaar, tandpynblaar, peperwortel (Afr.)
Family: Ranunculaceae

Anemone vesicatoria is one of the few and best fynbos plants for the shady garden. Tough and water-wise, a mature clump of this plant with its attractive...

04 / 02 / 2008 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anemone knowltonia

 Unusual flowers resembling green buttercups
Common names: blistering leaves (Eng.); brandblare, katjiedrieblaar (Afr.)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This is a very handsome plant with unusual flowers resembling green buttercups, that does well in shady situations....

01 / 09 / 2003 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Anemone fannini

Plant in flower
Common names: giant wild anemone (Eng.); syblom, groot anemoon (Afr.); umanzamnyama (Zulu)
Family: Ranunculaceae

This stately anemone with beautiful white flowers and large, velvety palmate leaves from the eastern grasslands of South Africa would be an asset to any...

07 / 11 / 2005 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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