Indigenous South African Plants - Local Fynbos & Endemic Flora

Clivia – Indigenous Spring Bloomer for Shade or Under Trees

The Clivia,also known as 'St. John's Lily'' is a beloved South African classic, ideal for planting beneath trees or in shaded spots where few other plants thrive. With vibrant trumpet-shaped blooms in spring and bold, strap-like leaves year-round, it makes a striking feature plant for any garden.

Once established,'Clivia' is low maintenance and drought-tolerant, making it perfect for Cape Town’s waterwise gardeners.

• Indigenous and shade-loving
• Spring-flowering with bold blooms
• Excellent in mass plantings or containers
• Grows well with minimal care
• Ideal for Western Cape’s winter rainfall gardens

Wild Garlic, also known as 'Wildeknoffel', is a clump-forming perennial with narrow leaves and large clusters of fragrant, violet flowers from midsummer to autumn. Very striking when mass-planted in your garden to create a colourful display. The leaves are edible and can be used as substitute for garlic and chives in cooking. It can be used as an edging plant, along a pathway and displayed in a rockery. Wild garlic is drought-resistant , low-maintenance and easy to grow.

'Bird of Paradise' is an evergreen perennial and widely cultivated for it’s dramatic, colourful flowers and structural shape. The beautiful orange, blue and white flowering display can be admired during May to December.

Strelitzia Reginae is a bold,structural ,wind-resistant plant and also suitable for coastal gardens. Provided with lots of bright light with some direct sun, they can be successfully grown indoors. Feed with compost in early spring before new growth begins and then fertilize during the growing season. 'Bird of Paradise' is proudly indigenous and brings a dramatic,tropical feel to any garden or patio.

Starry Wild Jasmine,also known as 'Boerejasmyn', is a  versatile semi-climber that can reach up to 3m in height or transform into a compact, tidy hedge when pruned. Its fragrant, white flowers with delicate pink undersides grace your garden from September to January.

Notably, the Starry Wild Jasmine is indigenous, promoting biodiversity, and its exquisite fragrance makes it a delightful choice for attracting pollinators and enhancing your garden's sensory experience.

The 'Water Pear' is a very popular tree due to its versatility to withstand the harsh conditions of the urban environment. It is indigenous, evergreen and fast growing and is an excellent choice used as privacy screen to create instant privacy and noise-reduction in your garden. Creamy white, sweet scented flowers bloom from August to December.'Water Pear' prefers moist, well-drained soil and a full sun position for optimal growth.

Agapanthus'Black Jack' was crowned as 'Plant of the Year' at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show. South African breeders, De Wet breeders, spent years crossing, combining, and recombining thousands of carefully selected agapanthus varieties to produce BLACKJACK. The most intensely colored Agapanthus on the market at the moment.

Inky black buds open to big intense black-purple striped flower heads in summer. Two of the most significant attributes of this beauty are  its incredible colour and an extended flowering season.

BLACKJACK is vigorous in growth and flowering, disease resistant and stable - with no hidden flaws. This undemanding perennial is heat and drought tolerant. Agapanthus'Black Jack' is ‘The One’!

Portulacaria Afra, also known as 'Spekboom', is an easy-to-grow indigenous plant typically reaching heights of 2 meters in garden settings. Its small, non-invasive root system makes it perfect for poolside or boundary planting. With its compact structure, it's an excellent choice for accent planting, bonsai enthusiasts and landscapers. Creates perfect hedges and garden borders and readily accepts regular pruning. Spekboom is a truly 'green' succulent playing a vital role in combating air pollution by acting as a carbon sponge, effectively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Dietes grandiflora, also known as the 'Fairy Iris' or' Wild Iris' , is a standout choice, especially when planted in mass groupings. Its orchid-like flowers create a spectacular display throughout spring and summer, making it a garden favorite. For an even more stunning summer showcase, consider mixing it with blue Agapanthus for colour contrast.

Plant in well-drained soil with sun exposure, water regularly, and deadhead spent flowers for continuous blooming. The Fairy iris is a low-maintenance garden favorite.

Agapanthus 'Wilgenhof Blue',also known as 'African Lily', is a hardy agapanthus variety boasting medium-sized, strap-like leaves and stunning umbels of sky-blue flowers. These blossoms grace long stalks and bloom from December to April, making them perfect for cut flower arrangements.

They thrive in well-drained soil with full sun to partial shade. Ensure regular watering to keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the growing season. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage further blooming, and consider dividing the plant every few years to maintain its vigor. Agapanthus'Wilgenhof Blue' is a versatile beauty requiring minimal maintenance.

A popular indigenous garden plant with variegated leaves and pinkish-mauve flowers in summertime. Very useful to fill difficult hot corners in your garden, as it is drought-resistant, but will flourish with regular watering. A perfect groundcover to cover large areas and also excellent used as borders or edging. The leaves and flowers are edible, and can be used in salads and other dishes.

Spekboom'Grande' ,also known as Large-leaf Spekboom, has slightly larger leaves than the rest of its family. This versatile plant is considered by many to be a miracle plant and is highly regarded for its ability to fight climate change. This indigenous plant acts like a carbon sponge and statistics indicate that a Spekboom thicket is 10 times more effective per hectare in carbon fighting than any rainforest.

For care, provide well-drained soil and ample sunlight. Water sparingly, as it's drought-resistant. Spekboom'Grande' benefits by occasional pruning ,helping to maintain its shape and promote branching. 

The Wild Banana,also known as 'Giant White Bird of Paradise, is an attention-grabbing evergreen that effortlessly brings a lush tropical ambiance to your garden. Notably, while its appearance is captivating, its aggressive root system requires mindful placement away from paths and structures. The Wild Banana produces spectacular,large blue and white flowers throughout the year,but their peak flowering season start in Spring and Summer.    Additionally,Strelitzia Reginae is a versatile choice as it can thrive both outdoors and as an indoor plant. Indigenous and well-suited for coastal environments, the Wild Banana offers a touch of paradise to any garden.

Indigenous, neat, evergreen, decorative tree for medium-large sized gardens.  It is a useful screener tree and provides contrast in the garden due to its grey-green foliage. Thrives in large pots and responds well to pruning. Hardy and drought resistant. Withstands coastal and windy conditions. The wild olive has beautiful wood for furniture making. Has many medicinal uses.

Summer Love' New Blue is a charming, low-growing Agapanthus variety that blooms early and continues to grace your garden with its fragrant, wispy, blue trumpet-shaped flowers throughout the entire summer. With its clump-forming strap-shaped leaves and robust stems, it's not only a delightful addition to your garden but also a potted favorite, thriving in full sunlight.

The 'Tree Aloe' is Africa's tallest Aloe and forms branches with orange spikes as flowers, creating an excellent focal point in any garden. Widely used for its architectural shape, this evergreen giant is perfect as a dramatic feature plant in large gardens and coastal properties. Often used in office parks and commercial sites,'Aloe bainesii' offers year-round structure and beauty.                                                                                                                          Young trees do well in pots, but ensure the pot is sturdy and wide. 'Tree Aloe' is proudly indigenous and thrives in full sun and dry conditions, making it ideal for low-maintenance gardens in the Western Cape.

A captivating succulent with a ground-hugging growth habit, perfect for water-wise gardens. Its unique foliage features fleshy leaves that seem to shimmer as they catch and reflect sunlight. But the real showstopper is its vibrant array of flowers, which burst into bloom during late spring and summer.

Once established, they're virtually indestructible, withstanding long drought spells.

A best-seller. Popular due to its attractive foliage, drought tolerance and pest free nature this plant looks fantastic in hanging baskets or containers. Widely used as a quick spreading ground cover for outdoor garden landscaping. The variegated leaves brighten up a shady area. This favourite prefers partial shade, especially in hot climates.  The plant produces long, slender stems which carry white flowers and plantlets at the tip of the flowers.  A single plant with its stems soon become a mother plant surrounded by its 'babies' and therefore the name 'hen and chickens' Water regularly during the growing season but sparingly in winter when the plant is dormant. They prefer being watered from the bottom and not from above. Indigenous. 

The fire sticks plant resembles sea coral and is a striking evergreen succulent shrub. It is resilient to most pests and diseases. Water hardly at all in winter and moderately in summer. Let the soil dry out before watering again. 

*Please note this plant is toxic.  Use with care.

The Honey-Bell Bush is a beautiful, tall growing indigenous shrub with slender, rather loosely spreading branches that flowers profusely. This fast-growing, waterwise shrub benefits by regular pruning to encourage bushy growth. Flowers mainly in Spring. The Honey-Bell Bush can also be used to create a hedge and does equally well in patio pots.

This is an attractive, single-stemmed shrub with a round and dense habit and it is bright and colourful when in flower. It produces masses of mauve, purple, white or pink flowers displayed in clusters. This is a real eye-catcher in the garden and also reveals a sweet lemon scent when leaves are crushed. The essential oils that are extracted from the leaves are used medicinally for their antiseptic and diuretic properties. They look beautiful in a mixed fynbos bed when combined with plants such as Erica (Sugarbush) and Leucospernum (Pincushion)and Coleonema (White Confetti Bush).

Tall growing variety, ideal for screening or hedging. Bright yellow flowers in spring.  Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens. Great cut flowers

An Agapanthus that will cause fireworks in your garden with its large bursting flower heads. The bi-colour flowers are violet blue at the throat fading to pure white on the petal edges. The foliage is short and broad. Fireworks have a long flowering period and is ideal for borders and mixed containers. Flowers from mid to late summer. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil.

This proudly indigenous plant is also commonly known as the 'Natal Plum' or 'Large Num-Num'. An extremely easy-to-grow, thorny shrub often used for hedges. It produces glossy, deep green leaves and highly fragrant,snowy white flowers in summer. The ornamental plump, round, crimson fruit appears in summer and autumn at the same time as the blooms.  A popular indigenous, evergreen choice for coastal gardens.                                                      Plant 1m apart for an impenetrable hedge.'Natal Plum' is easy to grow and low maintenance.                                                                                     

This colourful crassula is a firm favourite as it sets your garden alight with its fleshy propeller-like leaves that mature from bright lime-green to bright red. Also very pretty in containers or hanging baskets. 

A beautiful variegated variety that will add a blaze of colour to your garden in late autumn and winter. Great cut flowers. Suitable for gardens with well-draining soil. Or plant in a pot. Water regularly initially.

Beautiful indigenous Arum Lily will provide a spectacular effect with their trumpet-shaped flowers, surrounding a yellow finger-like stalk. Spring-flowering. Makes excellent cut flowers. Well suited to planting near ponds and streams. Goes dormant in autumn and comes back in Spring. Use in borders, containers or as cut flowers.

Agapanthus 'Mount Superior',also known as 'African Lily', is the brilliant pure white we recommend for your garden. A hardy and resilient choice that also does well in pots and  containers. A semi-evergreen shrub with a compact habit and white trumpet-shaped blooms in summer to early autumn.  Plant this elegant white Agapanthus in well-drained soil.

A striking and very popular ornamental tree that is tall, deciduous and fast growing with a distinctive greeny-yellow bark. It has sparse foliage that allows for sunlight to shine through which is perfect if you want other plants to grow underneath the tree.

Grown for its exceptionally beautiful velvety silver foliage. A soft, vigorous shrub with roundish, aromatic (licorice) leaves covered in silver grey hairs. Blooms consist of tiny cream-white flowers from November to January. Ideal for containers, borders and as a groundcover.  Requires well-drained soil. Indigenous. 

Excellent used as a windbreak or hedge. Can be cut to any size. Indigenous.A strikingly attractive and hardy drought resistant tree, with an uncommon silvery-blue appearance that contrasts beautifully with surrounding, darker green foliage. Well suited to harsh coastal conditions. It has a non invasive root system and can be used close to walls. Easily trained as a shrub or screening plant that can provide privacy in a short space of time due to its fast growing rate.

 Prune off the lower branches to form a shade tree; and if space is limited, grow it in a large pot.

The Jade Plant'Sunset' is a popular and award-winning succulent shrub with glossy, rounded, fleshy green leaves adorned with golden yellow tips and red edges. Clusters of small white to pale pink flowers bloom from Autumn to Spring. As it ages, the stout grey trunk and limbs become massive and thick.The Jade Plant is versatile and easy to grow and perfect for succulent gardens,rockeries and indoor pot plants.

This shrub is native to the Eastern and Western Cape and does well in sandy soil. It has a spectacular bronze colour and produce yellow feathery flowers in spring to summer.(November to February). Ideal for low maintenance, water-wise gardens. Also known as “Geelveer” in Afrikaans.

Neat compactly clustered foliage on arched fonds resembling a cat's tail. Looks great when planted in groups under trees. A hardy, evergreen, perennial. Tiny white, fragrant flowers in summer, followed by showy red berries from March that are attractive to birds. Easy to grow and indigenous. Can be grown as an indoor plant. It tolerates plenty of water but can handle drying out now and then.

This small compact shrub provides a variation of colour with bright red foliage in autumn to yellow highlights in winter. Great in containers or gardens.

Drought-resistant, evergreen shrubs and trees, with handsome, glossy foliage and fragrant, starry-white, jasmine-like flowers. Ornamental and edible, scarlet to crimson oval fruits are produced after flowering. Carissas are attractive, ornamental shrubs and make excellent hedges. Does well in coastal areas. Plant 1 m to form an impenetrable hedge, they have thorns. 

A handsome, indigenous tree, suitable for most gardens. Beautiful deep red flowers make this a feature tree for summer shade.

Deciduous to semi-deciduous. Dark green foliage turns copper-red in spring. Nectar-rich flowers from Sept-Oct. Bright red, nectar-filled flowers will invite birds and bees to the garden.

Low maintenance. Cut to any shape or size. 

An unusual male hybrid, produces showy red foliage in early spring and into summer. Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens, once established.

This pink, white or purple flowered buchu is an eye-catcher in a pot or in the garden when flowering.

A South African indigenous treasure.  A low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant that's perfect for mass planting and containers. Plant it in well-draining soil, provide ample sunlight, and water moderately for stunning results. Pair with fragrant lavender, vibrant salvia, or lively orange zinnias for a vibrant garden display.

A hardy, evergreen creeper traditionally used to make jam and rope. Attractive foliage. Indigenous, fast grower for covering fences or pergolas. Can also be used as a ground-cover. Small green-yellow flowers in late summer, followed by tart ‘grape-looking’ berries. The flowers will attract insects to your garden. It can be used as a screen.

Fast growing and vibrant trailing succulent. In lower light areas they maintain a green shade with purplish highlights especially along it’s stem. In bright sun the stem and the bean shaped pudgy leaves will turn ruby red!

This early-blooming agapanthus is compact and clump-forming, with light silvery-blue star-shaped blooms on strong stems. It's not only a beautiful compact indigenous filler for garden beds but also remarkably low-maintenance. Flowers from mid-spring on strong stems, making it an excellent choice for hassle-free gardening.

This genus is an excellent garden plant, as a focal point or planted in groups, and provides stunning long-stemmed cut flowers. They produce large orange flowers in Spring and turn a vibrant red colour after flowering. Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens and equally beautiful as a container plant. Also commonly known in Afrikaans as “Speldekussing”

Tube like leaves resembling little hunting horns. Grows upright.

Amy is a stunning, medium sized and compact shrub, which will provide masses of bi-colour foliage from winter through to spring.  Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens.

A full, well-branched plant with lovely purple blooms that attracts bees and butterflies to the garden. Low maintenance and drought tolerant once established. Ideal for mass planting and containers.

The mass display of flowers on this shrub is sure to catch the eye. Dark orange flowers in spring will attract birds to the garden. Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens.

Deep orange flowers cover this plant in spring and summer attracting birds to your garden. Ideal for low maintenance, low water use gardens or containers. Great cut flower. Do not fertilize. Pick all flowers to maintain shape.

The Yellow Spekboom is an indigenous plant with bright yellow-green, rounded succulent leaves and a reddish stem. For gardening purposes the plant is grown for its striking leaf colour and water-wise attributes. The leaves are edible and the plant has marvelous air-purifying qualities. It helps fight air pollution in that it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting like a carbon sponge. Easy to grow and low-maintenance. It works well in hot, dry rockeries or grouped with other succulents in drought-prone areas.Yellow Spekboom happily provides bright evergreen leaf colour amongst plants receiving regular watering.

This versatile, low maintenance cultivar makes an excellent house plant, and is also ideal for hanging baskets or as a ground cover in the garden. In summer tiny white flowers are followed by attractive, bright red berries. Indigenous.  Can be grown as an indoor plant. It tolerates plenty of water but can handle drying out now and then.

Fast growing, upright and will tolerate a variety of soil and watering conditions.

Makes an excellent evergreen hedge or a beautiful small tree. Prune to any size.

Small flowers April until July. Indigenous. 

Chlorophytum comosum vittata stands out with its green-edged leaves, a deviation from the typical yellow variegation.

This indoor favorite excels in air purification and adapts beautifully to hanging baskets, containers, or as a ground cover in outdoor gardens, especially in partial shade.

Its slender stems produce delicate white flowers and 'babies,' earning it the endearing name 'hen and chickens.' Keep the soil consistently moist, avoiding waterlogged conditions, and water from the bottom. As an indigenous plant, it effortlessly blends into its environment

A succulent perennial with erect, fleshy , bluish-green pencil-like stems. They are adorned with purple-green patterns and lined with soft spines along the sides. Brilliant red to orange thistle like flowers appear in summer. Easy to grow, the pickle plant is great for containers and can be used as a houseplant. Slightly cascading when mature,it is also perfect for hanging baskets.Also excellent for rock gardens and succulent gardens to add colour contrast and interest.

A striking two-toned double flowering variety with a compact growth habit, the African Daisy - Osteospermum 'Flowerpower 3D Berry White' is ideal for pots, borders, and garden beds. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant beauty thrives in mass plantings and containers. Plant it in well-draining soil for stunning results. Combine it with the vibrant hues of purple verbena and the airy elegance of Gaura for a captivating garden display.

An evergreen sub-shrub with vibrant, purple-magenta, pea-like flowers, adorning a compact mound of gray-green foliage for much of the year.

Classic Line is a cross between Zonal & Ivy geranium, with lovely large semi-double flowers.  Drought and heat tolerant.  Ideal for baskets and patio containers.

These pretty tender perennials are often grown as container and edging plants, they can have bushy or trailing habits. The tiny five-petaled flowers bloom in lovely shades of blue, purple, rose, and white with some accented by white eyes. Covered in flowers from spring until autumn. Excellent heat tolerance.  Longer flowering performance guaranteed by adding extra fertiliser to soil. 

A succulent, evergreen trailing vine with dainty heart-shaped leaves, marbled with shades of silver and green on the top, and green to purple on the undersides. Bears small pinkish flowers and aerial tubers, which forms at the nodes along the delicate pink stems. Allow the soil to almost dry out before watering. In winter, water very sparingly. 

A small to medium sized, evergreen tree with a graceful willow-like appearance and neat crown.  Fast and easy to grow, making it an ideal shade tree for a newly established suburban garden. Cut to any size. Dense growth habit makes it a good windbreak option. 

Wind and drought tolerant.  The leaves are fine and delicate. Tiny, green flowers in spring and summer are followed by edible red berries that will attract birds to the garden.

Indigenous, Waterwise, Wind-tolerant. 

Flowering quite early and all through the summer, 'Summer Love White' is a compact, low growing beauty with clump-forming strap-shaped leaves and it bears wispy, pure white trumpet-shaped flowers. Its strong stems make it a gardener's favourite for use in pots and containers. This ever-blooming indigenous perennial should have a spot in every garden. 'Summer Love White' is suitable for sunny to semi-shade positions.