Plants of the Week

Ficus abutilifolia

Common names: large-leaved rock fig, rock wild fig (Eng.); grootblaarrotsvy, klipvy (Afr.); inkokhokho, impayi, ubambematsheni (Zulu); momelantsweng (Tswana); tshik

Family: Moraceae

The conspicuous white to yellow roots and stems of the large-leaved rock fig are an impressive sight, well adapted to hugging rock faces and splitting...

18 / 12 / 2006 | Jan-Hakon Burring | Pretoria NBG

Ficus burtt-davyi

Common names: scrambling fig, Burtt Davy’s fig, veld fig (Engl.); veldvy, rankvy, veldwildevy (Afr.); umthombe, uluzi (isiZulu); uluzi, umdendekwana (isiXhosa)

Family: Moraceae

Ficus burtt-davyi is typically a lax shrub occurring in coastal scrub or thicket, that becomes a robust creeper in inland forests and a small multi-stemmed...

28 / 09 / 2015 | Vathiswa Zikishe | CREW

Ficus cordata

Common names: Namaqua rock fig, Namaqua fig (Eng.); namakwarotsvy, namakwavy, melkboom (Afr.)

Family: Moraceae

The Namaqua rock fig represents the largest and tallest indigenous tree from Namaqualand. It is an ascending, rock-splitting tree confined to rock outcrops,...

12 / 11 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus craterostoma

Common names: forest fig, forest strangler-fig, blunt-leaved forest fig, bastard Natal fig (Eng.); bosvy, wurgvy, stomblaarbosvy, bostouboom, basternatalvy (Afr.);

Family: Moraceae

A wild fig from the well-watered forests of southeastern and tropical Africa, with glossy, dark green foliage and a grey trunk that is sculpted and shaped...

11 / 09 / 2017 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus glumosa

Common names: hairy rock fig, mountain rock fig (Eng.); harige rotsvy, berg-rotsvy (Afr.); umthombe (Xhosa); inkokhokho, umdenda omnyama, umnyaxa (Zulu); inkiwane (

Family: Moraceae

An ideal tree for planting in water scarce areas; it will provide browsing and food to a number of animals, as well as a habitat for a large range of bird...

07 / 11 / 2016 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus ilicina

Common names: laurel fig, natarra fig (Eng.); louriervy, natarravy (Afr.); natarra (Nama)

Family: Moraceae

The laurel fig is an evergreen, rock-hugging fig from the summer-dry Namaqualand region and further north into Namibia and southern Angola, where rainfall...

03 / 12 / 2018 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus ingens

Common names: red-leaved rock fig (Eng.); rooiblaarvy (Afr.); mohlatsa (North Sotho); motlhatsa (Tswana); tshikululu (Venda); umthombe (Xhosa); umgonswane (Zulu)

Family: Moraceae

The red-leaved fig is a semi-deciduous, shady tree or rock-splitter, and a beautiful specimen for a large rock garden, but because of its aggressive root-...

28 / 11 / 2005 | Marie Jordaan | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ficus lutea

Common names: giant-leaved fig (Eng.); reuseblaarvy (Afr.); umvubu, omkhulu (Zulu); umthombe, uluzi (Xhosa)

Family: Moraceae

The giant-leaved fig is a magnificent member of the renowned fig family. Like so many of its close relatives, it offers much of ecological and ornamental...

15 / 03 / 2004 | Jan-Hakon Burring | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus muelleriana

Common names: wandering rock-fig, Chimanimani rock-fig, Mueller’s climbing fig (Eng.); chimanimanirotsvy (Afr.)

Family: Moraceae

Ficus muelleriana represents a fairly recent discovery. It is a rare, cliff-dwelling, scandent shrub, with beautiful heart-shaped leaves, reddish leaf...

04 / 12 / 2017 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus polita subsp. polita

Common names: heart-leaved fig, wild rubber fig, wild rubber tree (Eng.); hartblaarvy, wilderubbervy, rubberplant (Afr.); umkhiwane (siSwati.); umkhiwane, umphumel

Family: Moraceae

Next time you attend one of Kirstenbosch’s summer sunset concerts, see if you can spot the Afrotropical Ficus polita subsp. polita, growing on the...

21 / 12 / 2015 | Hannelie Snyman | Compton Herbarium

Ficus salicifolia

Common names: Wonderboom fig (Eng.); wonderboomvy (Afr.); isisantu (isiZulu); umkhiwane, indhlaleni (siSwati); motlhatsa (setswana); mohlatssa, mohlatsiso, monokane

Family: Moraceae

This hardy, spreading, evergreen tree produces fruit that will attract any fruit-loving birds to your garden. It is ideal for large properties and very...

13 / 04 / 2020 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Ficus sansibarica

Common names: Zanzibar fig, knobbly fig, wild fig (Eng.); knoppiesvy (Afr.); Inkokhokho (Swazi); Mohlapu (SN); Nhlampfu (TS); Mutamvu, Muuno, Muvumo, Mudzulatshinya

Family: Moraceae

This knobbly fig presents an imposing display with its spreading crown and bears enormous fruiting spurs along the stem....

19 / 10 / 2009 | Patrick Mtsweni | Lowveld NBG

Ficus sur

Common names: broom cluster fig (Eng.); besem-trosvy (Afr.); mogo-tshetlo (North Sotho); umkhiwane (Xhosa); umkhiwane (Zulu)

Family: Moraceae

The broom cluster fig is a key element in the environment providing medicine, food, shade and shelter for all nature of animals, large and small. This...

10 / 02 / 2003 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Ficus sycomorus subsp sycomorus

Common names: sycamore fig, common cluster fig, mulberry fig (Eng.); trosvy, geelrriviervy, geelstamvy, gewone trosvy, wildevyeboom, sycomorusvy (Afr.); umkhiwa (Nd

Family: Moraceae

A medium-sized tree with yellowish red edible figs....

03 / 06 / 2019 | Cathbert Makgakga | National Herbarium Pretoria

Ficus trichopoda

Fruits of F. trichopoda.Copyright Geoff Nichols

Common names: swamp fig, hippo fig (Eng.); moerasvy (Afr.); umvubu (isiZulu); alufubu (Xitsonga)

Family: Moraceae

The swamp or hippo fig is the only indigenous fig species in the southern African region whose aerial roots develop into new stems like the banyan, Ficus...

17 / 04 / 2006 | Alice Aubrey | Walter Sisulu NBG

Flueggea virosa

Common names: white berry-bush (Eng.); witbessiesbos (Afr.); Mutangahuma (Tshivenda); Mpfalambati (Tsonga); Muhlakaume (Sotho)

Family: Phyllanthaceae

13 / 10 / 2008 | T Ratshibvumo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Freesia alba

- see - Freesia leichtlinii subsp. alba...

22 / 04 / 2015 | | Walter Sisulu NBG

Freesia grandiflora

Common names: forest freesia, forest kammetjie (Eng.)

Family: Iridaceae

A beautiful, red-flowered, bulbous plant that deserves more horticultural attention. It is perfect for woodland gardens or as a pot plant and performs...

26 / 10 / 2020 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria

Freesia leichtlinii subsp. alba

Common names: white freesia, wild freesia (Eng.); ruikpypie (Afr.)

Family: Iridaceae

With its showy white spring flowers, exquisite perfume and relative ease in cultivation, Freesia leichtlinii subsp. alba is one of the most rewarding Cape...

30 / 08 / 2004 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG

Freylinia crispa

Common names: Kouga bell-bush (Eng.); Kouga klokkiesbos (Afr.)

Family: Scrophulariaceae

The attractive purple flowers of the Kouga bell-bush will brighten up your garden....

19 / 11 / 2007 | Trevor Adams | Kirstenbosch NBG

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