South Africa

Agapanthus praecox
Family: Amaryllidaceae
From the Eastern Cape, is one of the most commonly grown ornamentals in the world. It does well even in poor soils, but does need some summer water. There are many hybrids.

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Aloe arborescens
Family: Liliaceae (Asphodelaceae)
Probably the most widely cultivated Aloe in the world. Multi-stemmed, it grows 6 to 10 feet high and 6 feet wide. It blooms in the winter.

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Amaryllis belladonna
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Amaryllis was a shepherdess in Greek mythology. "Belladonna" means beautiful lady in Italian. Straplike basal leaves appear after blooming. Grows in any soil, with no summer water. Flowers in fall.

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Bowkeria verticillata
Family: Stilbaceae
Evergreen shrub with white scented flowers.

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Erica spp.
Family: Ericaceae
There are over 800 species, mostly native to southern Africa. Ericas are one of the characteristic plants of the fynbos, and very few species occur outside the Cape Floral Kingdom. Most have small tough needle-like leaves, flowers may be bell shaped, urn shaped or tubular.

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Felicia amelloides
Family: Asteraceae
Woody perennial with yellow centered, sky blue daisies, on elongated stalks. With removal of old flowers it blooms almost year around.

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Pelargonium spp.
Family: Geraniaceae
There are 250 species of pelargoniums and many hybrids. Flowers are quite different from true geraniums which have all five petals identical. The flowers of pelargoniums’ upper two petals are mostly bigger than the lower ones and are usually marked with dark lines.

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Podocarpus henkelii
Family: Podocarpaceae
Podocarps are evergreen conifers, and all are dioecious. The genus name is from the Greek "podos" (foot) and "karpos" (fruit). They were timber trees, but are now protected, having become almost extinct from over logging. In its natural environment, P. henkelii can reach 60 to 90 feet.

Protea susannae
Family: Proteaceae
This is a large, robust, upright shrub arising from a single stem of up to 6 inches in diameter. It grows 6-9 ft tall and spreads 9-12 ft across. The leaves have sulphurous smell when crushed.

Protea cynaroides
Family: Proteaceae
The national flower of South Africa with open spreading habit. Flower heads consist of colorful bracts surrounding flower clusters which can reach one foot across.

Leucospermum "veldfire"
Family: Proteaceae
Named for the rings of brightly colored styles protruding like curved pins from the flower heads.

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Leucadendron "Cloudbank Ginny"
Family: Proteaceae
Conebushes are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. The small flowers are carried in cones at the tips of the branches.

Leucadendron argenteum
Family: Proteaceae
The most spectacular conebush, its leaves are covered with silvery hairs. Its habitat is the lower slopes of Table Mountain. Regrettably short lived, about 25 years.

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Psoralea pinnata
Family: Fabaceae
A rangy shrub 6-8 feet with needle-like soft leaves, clusters of blue and white pea shaped flowers.

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Restio spp.
Family: Restionaceae
One of the defining plants of the fynbos. Dioecious and wind pollinated. Some species are used for roofing.

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Strelitzia reginae
Family: Strelitziaceae
Each bloom is made up of several flowers in boat-like bracts.Blooms spring to summer.

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Zantedeschia aethiopica
Family: Araceae
Flower bract (spathe) surrounds a central spike (spadix) tightly covered with tiny true flowers. Varieties include ‘Green Goddess’ and 'Hercules.'

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