Kirstenbosch plant walks
The idea of these walks is to familiarise yourself with the plants in Kirstenbosch. Many of them have medicinal qualities. It is one thing to know about the plants from books and pictures. It is another thing to smell and see them through the seasons. And once you know witch ones are safe to taste then so much the better.
The ones with the stars * I have not found in the Kirstenbosch garden.
Those marked with O - for women, X - for protection, ֎ - for the spiritual path
If you are in the Western Cape most of the first group will grow well in your garden or on the sidewalk.
Some are frost sensitive FrostS** Sometimes they will grow among rocks that help protect them from the cold. Sometimes they must be protected for a while until they grow tall enough to get out of the frost zone.
This first group is very easy to grow and can be used for many ailments. Please plant some of them at home.
Aloe arborescens Bos aalwyn Forest aloe Ingcelwane
Artemisia afra ֎Wilde als African wormwood Umhlonyane
Ballota africana Kattekruid Cat bush Isinazi
Bulbine frutescens Balsem kopiva, nierbossie, bulbinella Ibucu
Bulbine natalensis Rooiwortel Red water Matshetshafike
Carpobrotus edulis Suurvy Sour fig Gcukuma
Dodonaea angustifolia * Sandolien Sand olive Mutzuwe
Geranium incanum O Vrouetee Carpet geranium Uqhobelo
Gunnera perpensa O Rivierpampoen Wild rhubarb Tangazana
Helichrysum ֎ Kooigoed Everlastings Imphepho
Kniphofia spp O Vuurpyl Red hot poker Ixonja
Leonotis leonotis ֎ Klip dagga Wild dagga Umfincaficane
Lessertia frutescens Gaansies Cancer-bush Umwele
Melianthus commosus Kruidjie roer my nie Irhabiya
Melianthus major bigger specimen garden plant with similar uses
Mentha longifolia Balderjan Wild mint Inzinziniba
Pelargonium sidoides Maagpynbossie Umsongelwa Umclealoabo
Ruta graveolens * O Wynruit Rue, herb of grace Frost S**
Seriphium plumosum Slangbos Snakebush Adderbush
Urtica urens * Brandnetel small stinging nettle
Withania somnifera Wilde apeliefie winter cherry Ubuvumba
Ashwaganda
The following group are also useful and you may find a need to plant them but not all of them are from the Western Cape
Acorus calamus * makkalmoes sweet flag ikalamuzi Z
Adansonia digitata kremetart baobab movana T
Adenia gummifera X Green vine impinda
Agapanthus africanus O Blou lelie blue lily isicakathi, ubani Z
Alepidea amatymbica * Kalmoes iquili
Ansellia africana tiger orchid imfe-nkawu
Arctotis echinatus * Moedertroos ikataza
Aristea afra * Moerbossie, maagbossie
Bersama lucens ֎ Blinkblaar wit essenhout Isindiyandiya
Boophane disticha Gifbol Ibati, Incwadi Don’t eat
Bowiea volubilis Knolklimop Igibsila Don’t eat
Calodendrum capense Wilde kastaaing Cape chestnut Umemezi
Catha edulis Boesmantee Umhlwazi
Centella asiatica varkoortjies Pennywort Inyongo
Chironia baciffera bitter bessie bos
Cissampelos capensis dawidjiewortel Mayisake
Clematis bracheata traveller’s joy Ityolo
Cliffortia odorata wilde wingerd
Clivia miniata X boslelie Umayime
Cnicus benedictus * mak karmedik holy thistle maxaba
Cotyledon orbiculata plakkie Imphewula
Curtisia dentata X assegaai umlahleni selefile
Datura stramonium malpitte
Dicoma anamala * pisvêr uNyongwana
Dioscorea dregeana bospatat isidakwa Don’t eat
Diospyros lyciodes bloubos bluebush ♀ Umbhongisa
Diospyros whiteana bladder nut ♂
Elephantorhiza elephantina * elandsboontjie intolwane
Elytropappus rhinocerotis renosterbos uvuvuvu
Eriocephalus africanus kapokbos wild rosemary uqaqa
Erythrina cafra X Koraalboom Coral tree impinda
Eucomis autumnalis wilde pynappel Pineapple flower umathunga
Galenia africana * kraalbos
Ganoderma applanatum * Paletswam Atist’s pallette
Ganoderma lucidum * Oranjebruin vernisswam Reishi
Galium spp * Jongmansliefde pendulu
Gloriosa superba flame lily Don’t eat
Glycerrhiza glabra * Soethoutwortel Liquorice mlomo-mnandi
Gomphocarpus fruticosus Tontelbos milkweed umsinga-lwesalukazi
Haemanthus albiflos ֎ white flower zaneke
Haemanthus coccineus Red flower April fool umatunga
Halleria lucida Lucky plant
Haworthia spp Family plant
Harpephyllum caffrum wilde pruim umgwenya
Hypoxis Afrika artappel African potato ilabatega , inkomfe
Ilix mitis Kaapse Cape holly isidumo
Ipomoea oblongata * Wild morning glory boqho
Knowltonia vesicatoria katjiedrieblaar vutusa
Lippa javanica verkoue tee inzinziniba
Merwilla plumbea blouberglelie Blue squil Inguduza
Morella quercifolia wasbessie wax-berry maluleka
Ocotea bullata stinkhoud stinkwood unukani
Olea europaea olienhout olive umquma
Osmitopsis asteriscoides * bels ixina
Pentanisia pruneloides * sooibrandbossie icimamlilo
Peucedanum galbanum * bergseldery blisterbush
Pittosporum veridifolium kasuur umkhwenkhwe
Plumbago auriculata syselbos Plumbago umabhophe
Poligala myrtifolia ithethe
Psoralea affinis blou keur umhlonitchwa
Psoralea pinnata blou keur mhlonitchwa
Ptaeroxylon obliquum Nieshout Sneezwood umthathe
Rapanea melanophloeos Kaapse boekenhout Cape beech
isiqalaba-sehlathi, umaphipa -Z
Rauwolfia caffra kinaboom quinine tree umhlambamase
Rhoicissus tridentata bobejaantou wild grape chitibunga
Ricinus communis * kasterolieboom caster oil plant umhlakuva Don’t eat
Rumex lanceolatus tongblaar idololenkonyane
Salvia africana-lutea Bruin salie brown sage
Salvia chamelaelaegnea Blou salie blue sage
Sansifera hyacinthoides aambeiwortel mother in law's tongue
isikholokotho
Scabiosa columbaria bitterwortel ibheka
Sceletium tortuosum kougoed, kanna intozani
Searsia lanceolata – umhlute wezinja – to be satisfied like a dog
Searsia undulata tande borsel toothbrush Karoo kunibush Kuni -San
Securidaca longipendunculata krinkhout violet tree mpesu
Sideroxylon inerme melkhout white milk-wood umaphipa X
Silene undulatum ֎ Die wit pad The white road ubulau
Silene belledoides ֎ Die wit pad Thewhite road Notolano guaiano
Siphonochius aethiopicus X Afrika gemmer wild ginger isiphephetho
Solanum aculeastrum Gifappel ithuma
Don’t eat Fruit, external use only.
Stangeria eriopus stangeria imfingwane
Tabernathmontana elegans Laeveldse paddaboom umKhahlwana
Terminalia sericea * Vaalboom Silver cluster-leaf amangwe
Tulbaghia violacea wilde knoffel wild garlic isihaqa -z
Typha capensis papkuil bulrush ibhuma -z , ingcongolo -x
Vernonia oligocephala groenamara ihambihlosane -z
Viscum capense lidjiestee Cape mistletoe umakhwela
Warburgia salutaris X peperbasboom pepper-bark tree isibharha Frost**S
Xymalobium undulatum * bitterwortel ishongwe
Zanthoxylum capense kleinperdepram Small knobwood umhlungumabele
Zizipus mucronata X blinkblaar wag 'n bietjie Buffalo thorn umphafa