Plants of the Week

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E.g., 05/12/2024
E.g., 05/12/2024

Vepris carringtoniana

Vepris carringtoniana
Common names: winged white-ironwood; coastal white-ironwood (Eng.); vlerksteelwitysterhout, kuswitysterhout (Afr.), umozane (isiZulu)
Family: Rutaceae

The winged white-ironwood is a truly beautiful tree that varies greatly in height, depending on climate and rainfall. Its leaves are densely covered with...

24 / 08 / 2015 | Aluwani Tshiila | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Protea amplexicaulis

Protea amplexicaulis
Common names: clasping-leaf sugarbush (Eng.); aardroos (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

This sprawling protea shyly hides its velvety flowerheads under its unusual grey-green, pink-margined leaves....

31 / 08 / 2015 | Aimee Plutsick | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Euphorbia grandidens

Euphorbia grandidens. Photo Geoff Nichols
Common names: valleybush euphorbia, large-toothed euphorbia (Eng.); valleibosnaboom, groottandnaboom (Afr.); umhlontlo (isiXhosa); umhlonhlo wehlathi (isiZulu)
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia grandidens is many branched shrub or tree, up to 16 m tall or more, with one to several, main succulent trunks....

31 / 08 / 2015 | Sifiso Mnxati | KwaZulu-Natal Herbarium
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Erica baueri subsp. gouriquae

Erica baueri subsp. gouriquae
Common names: Gouriqua heath, bridal heath
Family: Ericaceae

Erica baueri subsp. baueri is one of the best known ericas and popular as a South African fynbos garden plant. A second subspecies, subsp. gouriquae, was...

07 / 09 / 2015 | Anthony Hitchcock | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia pondoensis

Searsia pondoensis
Common names: many-veined currant (Engl.); veelnerftaaibos (Afr.); inHlangushane (SiSwati)
Family: Anacardiaceae

The many-veined currant is a relatively small perennial re-sprouter with green to greyish foliage, confined to grassland and open woodland....

07 / 09 / 2015 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Acacia hebeclada

This plant is now called Vachellia hebeclada...

10 / 09 / 2015 | | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Ochna natalitia

Ochna natalitia
Common names: showy plane, coastal- boxwood, coastal- redwood, Natal plane (Eng.); pronkrooihout, Natalrooihout (Afr.); mbovu, isithundu (isiZulu); tshipfure (Tshiv
Family: Ochnaceae

Ochna natalitia is a wonderful, large shrub to small tree, not yet fully harnessed by gardeners, and offers an attractive display almost continuously through...

14 / 09 / 2015 | Monique Mcquillan | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Vachellia robusta subsp. robusta

Vachellia robusta subsp. robusta. Photo Glenice Ebedes
Common names: broadpod robust thorn (Eng.); enkeldoring (Afr.); mooka (Nso.); mvumbangwenya (Tso.); mokhu (Tsw.); muvumba-ngwena (Ven.);umngamanzi (Zul.)
Family: Fabaceae

This is a small to medium, upright, deciduous thorn tree consisting of a narrow crown. The narrow upright growth and majestic stature, makes it one of...

14 / 09 / 2015 | Andrew Hankey | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Senecio arenarius

Senecio arenarius
Common names: hongerblom (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This bright, hardy annual will  grow well in large parts of South Africa....

21 / 09 / 2015 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Satyrium rhodanthum

Satyrium rhodanthum. Photo Richard Braby
Common names: None recorded
Family: Orchidaceae

The Endangered Satyrium rhodanthum grows into a tapering, majestic beauty with flamboyant pink or red flowers....

21 / 09 / 2015 | Kaveesha Naicker | CREW
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Metrosideros angustifolia

Metrosideros angustifolia flowers
Common names: Cape-gum, lance-leaved ironheart (Eng.); smalblad, smalblaar (Afr.)
Family: Myrtaceae

At first glance this plant creates an alert reaction in the keen Fynbos enthusiast, as it bears a resemblance to  some South African weeds. However,...

28 / 09 / 2015 | Megan Blatchford | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Ficus burtt-davyi

Ficus burtt-davyi. Image Geoff Nichols
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
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Oncosiphon grandiflorum

Oncosiphon grandiflorum
Common names: matricaria (Engl.); groot stinkkruid, knoppies-stinkkruid, stinkkruid (Afr.)
Family: Asteraceae

This tall, button-flowered annual is ideal for larger gardens and can be grown as a spring and summer annual....

05 / 10 / 2015 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Smicrostigma viride

Smicrostigma viride
Common names: no common names known
Family: Aizoaceae

This neat attractive succulent shrublet will make a great addition to a water-wise garden....

05 / 10 / 2015 | Shireen Harris | Karoo Desert NBG
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Searsia glauca

Searsia glauca
Common names: blue kunibush (Engl.); bloukoeniebos (Afr.)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia glauca is a sprawling, wind resistant shrub or small tree, that is perfect in harsh coastal conditions, with berries that attract pollinators and...

12 / 10 / 2015 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Quaqua mammilaris

Quaqua mammilaris
Common names: aroena (Afr.); aroena, oruna (Khoi)
Family: Apocynaceae

Aroena makes an interesting addition to any dry veld-food garden....

12 / 10 / 2015 | Lize Wolfaardt | Karoo Desert NBG
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Crassula fascicularis

Crassula fascicularis
Common names: fragrant crassula, sweet-scented crassula (Eng.); ruiksissie, klipblom, karnaatjieblom, keiserskroon (Afr.)
Family: Crassulaceae

An elegant little succulent shrub, with beautiful and fragrant spring flowers, ideal for pots, rockeries and fynbos gardens....

19 / 10 / 2015 | Alice Notten | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe aculeata

Aloe aculeata
Common names: prickly aloe (Eng.); ngopane, sekope (Sepedi)
Family: Asphodelaceae

You will do well to give this attractive aloe with its yellow to reddish orange flowers, which used to have place of pride on our old 10 cent nickel coin,...

19 / 10 / 2015 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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Ottosonderia monticola

Ottosonderia monticola fruits
Common names: crossvygie (Eng.), kruisvygie, granietvygie, bergvingertjies (Afr.)
Family: Aizoaceae

Ottosonderia monticola is a dwarf, tufted mesemb, with ascending flowering branches above the leaf canopy. The flowering branch remains active for more...

26 / 10 / 2015 | Ernst van Jaarsveld | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Aloe petricola

Aloe petricola in habitat
Common names: rock aloe (Eng.); rotsaalwyn (Afr.)
Family: Asphodelaceae

The rock aloe, true to its name, is perfect for rocky areas in the garden, producing beautiful bicoloured flowers that will attract nectar-feeding birds...

26 / 10 / 2015 | Lou-nita LeRoux | Lowveld NBG
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