Plants of the Week

Senecio macroglossus

Common names: flowering Ivy, madeliefie-klimop, Cape Ivy, Natal Ivy,

Family: Asteraceae

At first glance, Senecio macroglossus looks like a kind of ivy, but on closer inspection, the bright yellow daisy flowers amongst the foliage make it clear...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe polyphylla

Common names: spiral aloe (English); kroonaalwyn (Afrikaans); lekhala kharatsa (seSotho)

Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe polyphylla is a rare and beautiful aloe from the high Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. It does not occur naturally anywhere outside Lesotho with the exception...

04 / 03 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Salvia muirii

Common names: Muir's wild sage (Eng.), wildesalie (Afr.)

Family: Lamiaceae

There are many fascinating plants in the sage family. As garden plants, some may be more interesting than beautiful, but Salvia muirii, with its large...

25 / 02 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Encephalartos ferox

Common names: Maputaland cycad, Zululand cycad, Tongaland cycad (Eng.), Maputalandbroodboom, Tongalandbroodboom (Afr.), umthobane, uthobani (Zulu), chihanga (Thonga

Family: Zamiaceae

A cycad with dark green, arching, holly-like leaves and striking red cones....

25 / 02 / 2002 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

Euphorbia obesa

Common names: Sea Urchin, Baseball, Vetmensie

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia obesa is a peculiar, almost ball shaped dwarf succulent plant that resembles a stone....

18 / 02 / 2002 | | Kirstenbosch NBG

Aloe peglerae

Common names: Vuurpylaalwyn

Family: Asphodelaceae

18 / 02 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Podranea ricasoliana

Common names: Port St Johns creeper, pink trumpet vine (Eng.); Port St Johns klimop (Afr.)

Family: Bignoniaceae

...

11 / 02 / 2002 | Christien Malan | Kirstenbosch NBG

Restio paniculatus

Common names: calopsis (English); besemgoed (Afrikaans)

Family: Restionaceae

This is an attractive waterside plant which is normally found growing in waterlogged soils on river or stream banks. ...

11 / 02 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea

Common names: blue water lily, Cape water lily, frog's pulpit, blue lotus (Eng.); blouwaterlelie, kaaimanblom, paddapreekstoel, blou plomb (Afr.); izubu, iziba (Zul

Family: Nymphaeaceae

...

04 / 02 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Nuxia oppositifolia

Common names: water elder, bush nuxia (English); watervlier (Afrikaans); iNkhweza (Zulu)

Family: Stilbaceae

Nuxia oppositifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree (2-5 m) found along water courses, in riverine bush, in gorges or valleys, and sometimes in relict...

04 / 02 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

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

Halleria lucida

Common names: tree fuchsia, white olive (Eng.), notsung, witolienhout, witolyfhout (Afr.), umbinza (isiXhosa), indomela, umbinza (isiZulu), lebetsa (Sesotho), murev

Family: Stilbaceae

Not only is Halleria lucida an attractive tree and an asset to any garden, it is also one of the best bird attracting trees....

28 / 01 / 2002 | Giles Mbambezeli | Kirstenbosch NBG

Eucomis autumnalis

Common names: pineapple flower, pineapple lily (E), wildepynappel, krulkoppie (A), ubuhlungu becanti, isithithibala esimathunzi (X), umathunga, ukhokho, umakhandaka

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Handsome, striking, unique, peculiar, these are the kind of words that are used to describe this unusual plant....

21 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dietes grandiflora

Common names: large wild iris, fairy iris (Eng.); groot wilde-iris (Afr); isiqungasehlati (Z)

Family: Iridaceae

This well known indigenous iris is commonly grown in gardens and used in large landscapes throughout the country....

21 / 01 / 2002 | Sharon Turner | Walter Sisulu NBG

Portulacaria afra

Common names: Porkbush, Elephant's Food (English); Spekboom. Olifantskos (Afrikaans); iNtelezi, isiDondwane, isAmbilane, iNdibili, isiCococo (isiZulu); iGqwanitsha

Family: Portulacaceae

Portulacaria afra or Porkbush is a popular succulent garden plant in use around the world and is often used for bonsai. It has now been shown to be effective...

14 / 01 / 2002 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Agapanthus coddii

Common names: Waterberg agapanthus, Codd's agapanthus (Eng.), Waterberg-bloulelie (Afr.)

Family: Agapanthaceae

Summer time is agapanthus season at Kirstenbosch, when the Garden is festooned with masses of these beautiful plants that come in many shapes and sizes...

14 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dimorphotheca jucunda 'White Moon'

Common names: White Moon Daisy (Eng.); Bergbietou, Bloubietou (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This striking groundcover is a delightful perennial with masses of large white daisy flowers throughout summer....

07 / 01 / 2002 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

Buddleja saligna

Common names: false olive (English); witolien (Afrikaans); umBatacwepe (Siswati); lelothwane (South Sotho); mothlware (Tswana); unGqeba (Xhosa); iGqeba-elimhlope (Z

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Buddleja saligna is a tree up to 10 m tall in warm moist areas but usually 4 to 5 metres in Highveld areas. ...

07 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Vachellia karroo

Common names: sweet thorn (English); soetdoring (Afrikaans); mookana (North Sotho); mooka (Tswana); umuNga (Zulu) (Xhosa)

Family: Fabaceae

Known for many years as Acacia karroo, this is one of South Africa's most beautiful and useful trees. It is integrally part of our country's history...

01 / 01 / 2002 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Hebenstretia dura

Common names: Cat's tail, katstert (Afr.), slugwort, slakblom (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

...

30 / 12 / 2001 | Liesl Van der Walt | Kirstenbosch NBG

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