Plants of the Week

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E.g., 04/12/2024
E.g., 04/12/2024

Cineraria saxifraga

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
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Siphonochilus aethiopicus

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

...

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

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
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Arctotheca calendula

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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Senecio macroglossus

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
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Aloe polyphylla

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
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Salvia muirii

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
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Encephalartos ferox

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
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Euphorbia obesa

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
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Aloe peglerae

Aloe peglerae
Common names: Vuurpylaalwyn
Family: Asphodelaceae
18 / 02 / 2002 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Podranea ricasoliana

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
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Restio paniculatus

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
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Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea

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
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Nuxia oppositifolia

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
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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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Halleria lucida

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
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Eucomis autumnalis

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
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Dietes grandiflora

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
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Portulacaria afra

Portulacaria afra 'Aurea'
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
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Agapanthus coddii

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
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