Plants & Nations: South Africa

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South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries on the Earth. It occupies only about two percent of the world's land area but is home to some 24 000 species, nearly 15 percent of known marine species and 10 percent of the planet's plants.

The beauty of South Africa. /VCG Photo

South Africa has 19 national parks including Kruger National Park, a fantastic African safari destination; Table Mountain National Park, regarded as a wonder of nature, and Bontebok National Park with its colorful riches. From September 14 to 18, all national parks are free of charge to South Africans.

In this article, we introduce three iconic plants that you can find in the "Rainbow Nation."

King protea

A king protea. /VCG Photo

King protea, the national flower of South Africa, is a woody shrub that is native to the country. The plant is of impressive size and is the largest of all the proteas. It has thick stems and big leaves and what seem to be flowers are in fact bracts which comprises clusters of true flowers. However, the bracts of vibrant colors are often mistakenly seen as the petals.

Proteas at the seaside. /VCG Photo

The plant is widely distributed in South Africa, stretching from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape. You can commonly see the plant in the mountains and hills in the country since it can thrive at a range of elevations.

King protea is also cultivated for commercial use as it's also a popular cut flower and ideal for large floral displays. So far there are about 80 cultivars of the plant.

Cape Aloe

A cape aloe plant. /VCG Photo

This is one of the most famous products in South Africa. Cape aloe, which is named for Africa's Cape of Good Hope, is native to southern Africa. The desert accent plant is widely used in medications and cosmetics.

It has fleshy and succulent leaves that hold water and it produces large red or orange erect flowers. The aloe gel is used to treat burns. It is said to be able to kill bacteria.

The plant usually grows in rocky hills, which makes the winter view of the region amazing when a large number of cape aloes blossom.

Lithops

Lithops. /VCG Photo

If you see what look like beautiful stones on the ground in South Africa, look twice as they could actually be plants. These beautiful stone-like plants belong to lithops, a genus of succulent plants native to the area.

Flowering stones. /VCG Photo

In order to survive and not be eaten, lithops blend in with neighboring rocks. The yellow or white flowers of lithops are usually sweetly scented. They are liked and collected by succulent lovers. Lithops are quite easy to grow. Just like other succulents, they need plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil.

About 'Plants & Nations'

"Plants & Nations" is a series of articles and pictures about common plants in the world. It serves as a guide to beautiful plants from different countries.

(Cover image via VCG)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)