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🇿🇦 The flowers of South Africa

129 pages from South Africa: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 cities and regions.

South Africa is home to over 23,000 species of vascular plants, making it the richest country in Africa for plant diversity. Its flora is shaped by varied climates and landscapes, from grasslands to the unique fynbos shrublands. The country is especially known for endemic flowers like proteas and aloes, and the Cape Floristic Region's extraordinary diversity.

The plant life of South Africa

South Africa’s plant life is shaped by its mix of climates and landscapes. The country has vast grasslands, dry shrublands, and the fynbos—a shrubland unique to the Cape region. Most of the land is open grassland or savanna, with few forests. Rainfall varies widely, leading to lush areas in the east and arid zones in the west. The country is a global hotspot for plant diversity, with more than 23,000 vascular plant species, many found nowhere else. Succulents, bulbs, and shrubs are common, especially in drier regions.

From region to region in South Africa

Plant life changes sharply across South Africa. The Highveld is dominated by grasses and bulbs, while the northwest is drier, with succulents like aloes and euphorbias. The Karoo is a semi-desert with many dwarf succulents. The fynbos of the Western and Eastern Cape stands out for its dense, low shrubs and high number of unique species. Forests are rare and mostly found on wet mountain slopes or riverbanks. The northeast’s bush savanna supports denser growth and iconic trees like the baobab.

Flowers to know in South Africa

The fynbos region is famous for its proteas, ericas, and restios. The silver tree, which grows only on Table Mountain, is a notable endemic. Aloes and euphorbias thrive in the dry west. The Cape Floristic Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds nearly 20% of Africa’s plant species in a tiny area, with about 70% of its 9,000 species found nowhere else. Baobab trees are prominent in the northeast.

When it blooms in South Africa

Most of South Africa receives summer rainfall, except the Western Cape, which has a Mediterranean climate with winter rains. Many fynbos plants flower after summer fires, as fire triggers seed germination. Succulents in the Karoo and Namaqualand bloom after rare rains, often carpeting the land with flowers.

Threats and protection in South Africa

The Cape Floristic Region faces rapid species loss due to habitat destruction, land degradation, and invasive plants. 153 plant species in South Africa are considered threatened. Large protected areas, including the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, help safeguard this unique flora. Fire plays a role in both threatening and renewing plant communities, especially in fynbos.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Wildlife of South Africa", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in South Africa

All 8
🇿🇦 Pretoria · Oct to NovJacaranda season in PretoriaTens of thousands of street trees turn South Africa's capital purple each October. 🇿🇦 Cape Town · All yearKirstenbosch National Botanical GardenA garden of South African plants on the slopes of Table Mountain, at its best from late winter to spring. 🇿🇦 Cape Town · All yearAdderley Street flower sellersA covered lane off Cape Town's main street where families have sold flowers for generations. 🇿🇦 Cape Town · Aug to NovFynbos walks on the Cape Peninsula and at HermanusDay walks through the Cape floral kingdom, the smallest and one of the richest plant regions on earth. 🇿🇦 Plettenberg Bay · Aug to NovGarden Route coastal fynbos walksCoastal paths along South Africa's southern shore, through fynbos and old forest. 🇿🇦 Durban · All yearDurban Botanic GardensA subtropical garden founded in 1849, with an orchid house and a famous collection of cycads.

Cities and regions of South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal 6Cape Town 5Table Mountain 5Western Cape 5Cape Province 4Johannesburg 3Mpumalanga 3Barberton 2Cape Floristic Region 2Cape Peninsula 2Cape Provinces 2Eastern Cape Province 2Kogelberg 2Langeberg 2Olifants River Valley 2Stellenbosch 2Betty's Bay 1Bloemfontein 1Bokbaai 1Bokkeveld Plateau 1Bredasdorp 1Bredasdorp Mountains 1Caledon 1Cape of Good Hope 1Cedarberg 1Cederberg 1Cederberg Mountains 1Drakensberg 1Drakensberg Mountains 1Durban 1Eastern Cape 1Emmarentia 1Franschhoek 1Free State 1Gauteng 1George 1Goegap Nature Reserve 1Gordon's Bay 1Hermanus 1Hex River Mountains 1Hottentots Holland 1Hottentots Holland Mountains 1Katberg 1Kirstenbosch 1Kleinmond 1Klein Swartberg 1Knysna 1Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve 1Koue Bokkeveld 1Kouga Mountains 1Magato mountains 1Mbombela 1Namakwa 1Nieuwoudtville 1Northern Cape 1Overberg District 1Paarl 1Pakhuis Pass 1Pietermaritzburg 1Port Elizabeth 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
KindWildflowerGarden flowerCut flowerFlowering treeFlowering shrubBulb flowerClimberOrchidWater flowerCactus or succulentAlpine flowerTropical flowerHerb or useful flower
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
Eucalyptus The tall, aromatic trees and shrubs known as gum trees or eucalypts 🇦🇺 Australia and 7 more · Flowering tree AmaranthAmaranthus A tall, colourful plant grown for its flowers, leaves and edible seeds 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Acacia Shrubs and trees with golden or cream puffball flowers, native mostly to Australia 🇦🇺 Australia and 6 more · Wildflower Sensitive PlantMimosa pudica A touch-sensitive plant whose leaves fold up when disturbed 🇧🇷 Brazil and 8 more · Wildflower Thorn-appleDatura stramonium A poisonous, night-blooming plant with trumpet-shaped white or violet flowers 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Prickly pearOpuntia Cactus with flat pads and edible fruit, native to the Americas 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Pelargonium A diverse group of flowering plants often grown as garden and house plants 🇿🇦 South Africa and 7 more · Garden flower PassionflowerPassiflora A vine with intricate flowers and edible fruits, grown worldwide 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Wildflower White cloverTrifolium repens A low-growing, mat-forming clover with white flower heads 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower LantanaLantana camara A colourful shrub with clusters of small, changing flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 9 more · Flowering shrub Erica Evergreen shrubs with tiny needle leaves and nodding flowers, known as heaths or heathers 🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 more · Wildflower Watsonia Tall, showy corm plants from southern Africa, known as bugle-lilies 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Wildflower Bot River proteaProtea compacta Pink, bowl-shaped protea from the Cape’s coastal mountains 🇿🇦 South Africa · Wildflower African lilyAgapanthus africanus Blue-flowered plant from South Africa’s winter rainfall fynbos 🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 more · Wildflower Ixia Star-shaped flowers from the Cape Provinces of South Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa · Wildflower Nerine Bulbous perennials with wavy pink to red flowers from southern Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Wildflower Cape primroseStreptocarpus A houseplant with tubular blooms from African mountains and forests 🇿🇦 South Africa and 7 more · Wildflower Aztec marigoldTagetes erecta The golden-yellow flower of Mexican altars and Day of the Dead offerings 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Wildflower Lampranthus A succulent with large, vivid flowers from southern Africa 🇳🇦 Namibia and 1 more · Wildflower White garland-lilyHedychium coronarium Tall, fragrant white flowers from the ginger family, grown and loved across continents 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Wildflower Amaryllis A South African bulb with pink or white funnel-shaped blooms on bare stems 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Bulb flower Black-eyed Susan vineThunbergia alata A fast-growing climbing plant with bright flowers and a dark centre 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Garden flower Flame lilyGloriosa superba A striking red and yellow climbing flower, national emblem of Zimbabwe and Tamil Nadu 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe and 9 more · Wildflower Combretum A large group of tropical trees and shrubs called bushwillows 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Flowering tree Desert roseAdenium A succulent with thick stems and bright flowers, grown as a bonsai and houseplant 🇳🇦 Namibia and 7 more · Wildflower Sparaxis Spring-flowering bulbs from South Africa with striking six-petalled blooms 🇿🇦 South Africa · Wildflower Babianabobbejaantjie A group of small, colourful flowering plants from southern Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 more · Wildflower Crocosmia Sword-leaved perennials with bright red and orange summer flowers 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 more · Garden flower Calotropis procera A tall, toxic shrub with balloon-like fruit and silky seed fibers 🇦🇴 Angola and 7 more · Wildflower Ornithogalum thyrsoides A white, long-lasting bulb flower from South Africa’s Cape Province 🇿🇦 South Africa · Bulb flower Brunsvigia Bulbous plants with striking pink or red flowers from southern Africa 🇹🇿 Tanzania and 1 more · Wildflower Nemesia A group of colourful bedding plants from South Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa · Wildflower Formosa lilyLilium formosanum A tall, white, fragrant lily native to Taiwan with trumpet-shaped blooms 🇹🇼 Taiwan and 3 more · Wildflower Cape marigoldDimorphotheca A daisy-like flower native to southern Africa's open landscapes 🇧🇼 Botswana and 5 more · Wildflower Eucomis Bulbous perennials with pineapple-like flower spikes from southern Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Wildflower Barberton daisyGerbera jamesonii The bright daisy from South Africa, ancestor of all cultivated gerberas 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Wildflower Zonal geraniumPelargonium × hortorum The classic potted and bedding plant with rounded leaves and ball-shaped flower heads 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Garden flower Strelitzia Tall South African plants with fan-shaped leaves and striking bird-like blooms 🇿🇦 South Africa · Garden flower Helichrysum A large group of daisy-like flowers known for their lasting dried blooms 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Wildflower Blanket FlowerGaillardia aristata A drought-tolerant wildflower with yellow and maroon daisy-like blooms 🇺🇸 United States and 6 more · Wildflower Sweet-briarRosa rubiginosa A thorny rose shrub with apple-scented leaves and pink flowers 🇵🇹 Portugal and 4 more · Wildflower Calla lilyZantedeschia Showy funnel-shaped flowers from southern Africa, grown worldwide as ornamentals 🇿🇦 South Africa and 7 more · Garden flower Crinum moorei A tall, fragrant lily from South Africa with white or pale pink blooms 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 more · Wildflower Desert roseAdenium obesum A succulent shrub with bright pink to red flowers and a swollen base 🇲🇷 Mauritania and 7 more · Wildflower Cosmos Tall daisy-like flowers grown in gardens and meadows 🇺🇸 United States and 5 more · Wildflower Poppy Bright-petalled flowers grown for gardens, seeds, and remembrance 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 7 more · Wildflower Gladiolus tristis A tall, fragrant gladiolus with cream flowers from southern Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa and 2 more · Wildflower Common GorseUlex europaeus A tough, spiny yellow-flowered shrub of Western Europe 🇳🇿 New Zealand and 6 more · Flowering shrub
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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