Plants of the Week

Podocarpus henkelii

20 years old specimen in Kirstenbosch NBG

Common names: Henkel's Yellowwood (Eng), Henkel-se geelhout (Afr), UmSonti (Zulu)

Family: Podocarpaceae

This is one of the most beautiful and decorative of our indigenous conifers, a tree that any plant enthusiast would be proud to have in their garden. With...

13 / 05 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Strumaria truncata

Common names: Namaqualand snowflake

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Strumaria truncata is a charming bulbous plant, little known and unusual in cultivation....

06 / 05 / 2002 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Buxus macowanii

Common names: African box, Cape box, small-leaved box (Eng.), buig-my-nie, Afrikaansebuksboom, Kaapsebuksboom, kleinblaarbuksboom (Afr.), igalagala (isiXhosa), umga

Family: Buxaceae

A small, very slow-growing tree with a clean slender stem and a dense crown of shiny green leaves; it is a good pot plant, can be clipped and trained into...

06 / 05 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Setaria megaphylla

Common names: ribbon grass, broad-leafed bristle grass

Family: Poaceae

Setaria megaphylla may be found along rivers in low-lying areas or forests and in dense bushveld where there is plenty of moisture. ...

29 / 04 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Mimetes chrysanthus

Common names: golden pagoda, golden mimetes, gouestompie

Family: Proteaceae

The genus Mimetes is one of the most beautiful of the protea family and indeed in the whole of the Cape Floral Kingdom. ...

29 / 04 / 2002 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG

Plectranthus fruticosus 'James'

Common names: Pink Spur Flower (E), Muishondblaar (A), Vlieëbos (A)

Family: Lamiaceae

Walking up the Camphor Avenue at Kirstenbosch during autumn it is difficult to miss the striking pink beds of Plectranthus fruticosus 'James'.Beds...

22 / 04 / 2002 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dovyalis zeyheri

Cythna Letty illustration in Flowering Plants of Africa.

Common names: wild apricot (E), wilde-appelkoos (A), umNyazuma (Z), umQokokolo (X), morethema (NS)

Family: Salicaceae

This is a tree with a most unusual and apparently unexplained feature. At certain times of the year the leaves emit a smell resembling that of carrion....

22 / 04 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Nerine sarniensis

Common names: Guernsey lily, red nerine (Eng.); berglelie, nerina (Afr.)

Family: Amaryllidaceae

Nerine sarniensis is widely considered to be the most beautiful of all the nerines....

15 / 04 / 2002 | Graham Duncan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Cassinopsis ilicifolia

Common names: Lemon Thorn (English), Lemoentjiedoring (Afrikaans), iMamba eluhlaza (Zulu), iCegceya (Xhosa)

Family: Icacinaceae

15 / 04 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Thamnochortus fraternus

Common names: dune thatching reed

Family: Restionaceae

This is a striking and attractive grass-like member of the large restio family. The plants are very uniform in height and the floral bracts are a rich...

08 / 04 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Rhamnus prinoides

Common names: African Dogwood, Camdeboo Stinkwood, Glossy-leaf (E), Blinkblaar, Camdeboostinkhout (A); umGlindi, Umlindi (X); umGilindi, uNyenye, umHlinye (Z); liNy

Family: Rhamnaceae

The African dogwood is a very attractive dense shrub or a small tree with glossy foliage and decorative red berries....

08 / 04 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Vachellia xanthophloea

Common names: Fever tree (English), Koorsboom (Afrikaans), mooka-kwena (Northern Sotho), umHlosinga (Zulu), nkelenga (Tsonga), munzhelenga (Venda).

Family: Fabaceae

The fever tree is an attractive, semi-deciduous to deciduous tree approximately 15 to 25 meters tall and has an open, rounded to spreading or flattish...

01 / 04 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Lithops optica

Common names: Lüderitz Living Stone, Lüderitz Stone Plant, Lüderitz Beeskloutjie

Family: Aizoaceae

Lithops are probably the most well known and popular member of the large succulent plant family, the Aizoaceae. They are commonly called living stones...

01 / 04 / 2002 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Clematis brachiata

Common names: traveller's joy, old man's beard, wild clematis; klimop, lemoenbloeisels (Afr.); ityolo (isiXhosa); morara (S); mogau (T); umdlonzo (isiZulu)

Family: Ranunculaceae

...

25 / 03 / 2002 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Blechnum tabulare

Common names: mountain deer fern, mountain blechnum, false tree fern (Eng.); valsboomvaring (Afr.)

Family: Blechnaceae

This is a large attractive fern for the shady garden....

25 / 03 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Walter Sisulu NBG

Plectranthus saccatus

Common names: stoep jacaranda, porch jacaranda (Eng.); stoepjakaranda, sak-spoorsalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

This is one of the more popular and well-known of the Plectranthus or spurflowers. It is known for its pretty flowers which are larger than those...

18 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Cineraria saxifraga

Common names: wild cineraria; geelblom

Family: Asteraceae

Cineraria saxifraga, with its delicate foliage and bright yellow flowers, is a rewarding and versatile plant for the garden....

18 / 03 / 2002 | Ebrahim Lawrence | Kirstenbosch NBG

Siphonochilus aethiopicus

Common names: Natal ginger, Wild ginger (English); Wildegemmer (Afrikaans); indungulo, isiphephetho (Zulu)

Family: Zingiberaceae

...

11 / 03 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Restio subverticillatus

Common names: broom restio (Eng.); besemriet (Afr.)

Family: Restionaceae

This is one of the most versatile plants of the large Cape Reed family. It can be planted in the garden but will also do well in a pot on a patio or on...

11 / 03 / 2002 | Hanneke Jamieson | Kirstenbosch NBG

Arctotheca calendula

Common names: Cape marigold, Cape weed, Cape dandelion (Eng.); botterblom, gousblom, soetgousblom, tonteldoekblom, Kaapse madeliefie (Afr.); isiqwashumbe (isiXhosa)

Family: Asteraceae

A weedy annual that can be planted as a showy ground cover or bedding plant for spring and early summer display....

04 / 03 / 2002 | Samson Moeketsi Letsela | Kirstenbosch NBG

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