Know, grow, protect and enjoy South Africa’s indigenous plants

KNOW
GROW
Protect
ENJOY

People for Plants

There has never been a more important time to support and protect the natural wonders that grow on South African soil. The Botanical Society of South Africa (NPO 003-394) is a member-driven organisation that offers citizen scientists, amateur nature enthusiasts, the general public, and environmental experts the opportunity to join hands and be a part of the solutions to biodiversity challenges across the country. Our mission is to win the hearts, minds and material support of individuals and organisations, wherever they may be, for the conservation, cultivation, study and wise use of the indigenous flora and vegetation of South Africa. 

Know

Learn about South Africa’s diverse indigenous plant heritage, why their ecosystems matter so much, and how to conserve them in your own area. Read more.

 

Grow

Meet like-minded people who grow indigenous plants for enjoyment and conservation. Plant South African flora and watch these naturally water-wise plants create a safe haven for pollinators and wildlife at home. Read more.

Protect

Initiate, implement and maintain effective conservation efforts in rural and urban landscapes, wherever you are in South Africa, with the support of knowledgeable experts partnering with many other organisations to build our network. Read more.

 

Enjoy

From wild spaces and botanical gardens, to urban green corridors and your own backyard, our flora will ensure South Africa is a beautiful environment that brings people together with nature and each other. Read more.

Conserving our natural heritage, for all, forever

The Botanical Society was formed more than a century ago to help develop and support the country’s national botanical gardens. BotSoc’s mission has since grown to supporting plant conservation across South Africa through its branches and by working with key partners. 

BotSoc is 110 years old!

That makes us one of the oldest and most established environmental non-profit organisations in South Africa.

Since we were established in 1913, we have focused on caring for and protecting South Africa’s indigenous plants through our incredible members. While our role and conservation priorities may have changed over the course of the 110 years, our love of indigenous plants never has.

Enjoy this 110-year snapshot through the voices of our Chairperson Kyra Lunderstedt and members.

Read more on our journey

Our Conservation Work

BotSoc champions biodiversity conservation in South Africa to protect our extraordinary plant diversity and ecosystems. 

FIND OUT MORE

Crew Programme 

KZN
STEWARDSHIP

Succulent plant crisis

Ex-situ plant collections

Latest Conservation News

Webinar 20 years of CREW
Webinar 20 years of CREW
We’re raising a glass to the incredible CREW team, for 20 years of plant conservation.
Haasendal Restoration: Saving fynbos
Haasendal Restoration: Saving fynbos
A recent restoration effort – a partnership between the Botanical Society national team and the Kirstenbosch branch, with FynbosLIFE and other incredible partners
Halting the illegal succulent plant trade
Halting the illegal succulent plant trade
Responding to the crisis: During 2021, South Africa’s government conservation agencies
Plant spotters to the rescue
Plant spotters to the rescue
Newer invasive species compound our existing problems – to the detriment of our country’s environment, human livelihoods and the economy.
Webinar: Plant Taxonomy
Webinar: Plant Taxonomy
Thousands of new plant species are discovered every year around the world. Others are reclassified as technology advances, more material is available in herbariums due to the efforts of collectors and we learn more.
Getting to know the secretive Nama-Karoo Biome
Getting to know the secretive Nama-Karoo Biome
The Nama-Karoo Biome has managed to keep many of its secrets. Because it is one of the least species-rich of all the biomes, it has been largely overlooked.
2022’s plant discoveries that had the botanists celebrating
2022’s plant discoveries that had the botanists celebrating
When new species come to light, there real reason for celebration. In 2022, there was more than one discovery of a species
Beating the boom
Beating the boom
The fight to save a tiny succulent reveals that even our current conservation approach might not be enough to save SA’s threatened species
1 2 … 8

A CELEBRATION!

This is a big birthday month for BotSoc and we’re excited to mark this 110th anniversary in Veld & Flora. We’ve compiled a special 16-page BotSoc Showcase that celebrates the exciting and varied conservation work that BotSoc pursues

MEMBERS: GET THE JUNE 2023 ISSUE HERE

During the first three months of publication, only members have online access to the latest Veld & Flora. Click here to join now! If you’re near the Kirstenbosch and Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens, make the most of your opportunity to buy an extra copy for a family member or friend and spread the plant love! 

Feel good about your Contribution to Conservation

DONATE
WHY JOIN?

Join hands with us

The Botanical Society of South Africa works to promote the conservation, cultivation, study and wise use of the indigenous flora of southern Africa for the benefit and sharing of all. Donating to BotSoc helps us to form new partnerships and mobilise resources to make worthy contributions, such as creating sustainable jobs and livelihood opportunities in South Africa’s conservation economy.
Donate Now

People for Plants

There has never been a more important time to support and protect the natural wonders that grow all over South Africa. BotSoc SA (NPO 003-394) offers citizen scientists, amateur nature enthusiasts, the general public, and environmental experts the opportunity to join hands and be a part of the solutions to biodiversity challenges across the country. Together, we are a critical mass of people uniting through our love for protecting plants. Sign up as a member today and feel good about your contribution to conservation. 
Join Now

#PlantPeople

Upcoming Events

28 September 2023

Plant Conservation Webinar

 

Plant conservation webinar: Where to enjoy nature’s bounty this spring 

From the middle of the country, we’re joined by Nondumiso Magija of the Free State National Botanical Garden. And further to the south, Nomama Mei of the Kwelera NBG in East London chats to us. Both will bring the spring specials in their area to life on our screens, to enjoy nature’s bounty at this wonderful, cheery time of the year. And like in our August webinar, it’s not only about how to grow the plants: both of these plant experts offer insight into the uses of many of these plants, and how they play an important role in their incredible ecosystems and also in our gardens. 
 
Don’t miss this one.

REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR HERE
• 𝟵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Cape Horticultural Society Plant Sale
• 𝟵-𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Indigenous Plant Fair at the @Durban Botanic Gardens
• 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: FynbosLIFE Fair in Muizenberg (by Fynbos LIFE – Locally Indigenous Flora Education)
• 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Boland Vetplantfees (by Living Desert Plants)
• 𝟭𝟱-𝟭𝟳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Darling Wildflower Show (by Darling Wildflower Society)
• 𝟭𝟱-𝟭𝟳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Calitzdorp Succulent Festival (by Calitzdorp Succulent Society)
• 𝟭𝟳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Our Lowveld Branch visits the White River Nature Reserve
• 𝟭𝟲-𝟮𝟰 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: South African National Parks Week – visit any park for free!
• 𝟳-𝟴 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿: Plant Fair at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden with the theme ‘Build back biodiversity’
• 𝟭𝟰-𝟭𝟱 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿: Stellenbosch Flora Festival at Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden
• 𝟭𝟱 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿: Lowveld Branch visits the Lowveld National Botanical Garden

17 Sep 2023

Weskus Branch
Darling Wildflower Show and Wildflower Reserves

7 Oct 2023

Karoo Desert Botanical Garden
CAP Volunteer Program Launch

22 Oct 2023

Weskus Branch
Year End function

24-27 Nov 2023

International
Great Southern BioBlitz 2023

Latest #BotSocSA News

The power of palmiet
The power of palmiet
You can help restore watercourses by propagating palmiet with this step-by-step guide.
A mystery of mangroves
A mystery of mangroves
Their getaway in northern Mozambique set honeymooners JOANNE & JONATHAN DEIGHTON a surprise puzzle
Geoff Nichols – Coastal gardening for your garden’s inhabitants
Geoff Nichols – Coastal gardening for your garden’s inhabitants
If you want to add some colour to your coastal garden, or if you’re keen to make your garden a veritable hub for our wonderful critters, then winter is the time to start preparing your green space.
Solving orchid puzzles
Solving orchid puzzles
The contents of a plant pot set Dean Phillips on a trail through four provinces to pin down the identities of a baffling genus of forest orchids.
Growing branches, growing people, growing communities
Growing branches, growing people, growing communities
Young people in Limpopo are making their voices heard for plant conservation. In order to achieve that, they have relaunched the Limpopo branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa.
110 years of protecting plants
110 years of protecting plants
We’re 110 years old! That makes the Botanical Society of South Africa one of the oldest and most established environmental non-profit organisations in South Africa.
Webinar: Tree conservation
Webinar: Tree conservation
We’re turning to an international expert to better understand the state of trees globally.
Fynbos gardeners: Why you should get your hands dirty this autumn
Fynbos gardeners: Why you should get your hands dirty this autumn
Autumn is the ideal time for Cape fynbos gardeners to get busy. From your beautiful spring-flowering geophytes, such as the gorgeous Gladioli, to spring-flowering annuals.
Circle of life
Circle of life
“I wanted to pass on information and insights that I had gathered about the bushveld and what makes it tick in a format that is readable, less scientific and novel,”
The quirks of growing Lowveld Chestnut
The quirks of growing Lowveld Chestnut
The Lowveld Chestnut is a fascinating species restricted in nature to the terrain surrounding the granite inselbergs in and between Nelspruit and Barberton with some populations
Follow the Eastern Cape’s plant signals
Follow the Eastern Cape’s plant signals
Stretching inland from the Eastern Cape’s magnificent beaches lies the fascinating Albany biodiversity hotspot.
Growing the proud legacy of BotSoc
Growing the proud legacy of BotSoc
Value has different meaning among our community of plant-loving people. This year, we have experienced what energises people through what they value; be it the botanically-rich landscapes
Growing trust Sthembile Zondi
Growing trust Sthembile Zondi
In Pietermaritzburg, a young curator’s energy is helping transform one of SA’s oldest national botanical gardens
Pride from abroad
Pride from abroad
It was only when I made my first visit ever to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew that I truly felt the sense of pride sink in.
Webinar: What lies beneath – the microbiome
Webinar: What lies beneath – the microbiome
Underground microbiomes – see how they support and arrange our biodiversity in South Africa
Get out and get active! Take a hike with BotSoc branches
Get out and get active! Take a hike with BotSoc branches
“Walking is man’s best medicine.” We couldn't agree more!

Locate your Branch

ALBANY

Free State

Limpopo

Southern Overberg

Algoa

Garden Route

KZN Coastal

Winelands

Cederberg

Gauteng

KZN Inland

Weskus

Kogelberg

Lowveld

Kirstenbosch

Hours

Monday to Friday 08h30 to 16h00. Closed on weekends and public holidays.

Contact Us

We are experiencing intermittent faults with our landlines, please phone +27 21 797 2090 or send a message to our alternate WhatsApp number if required
+27 65 922 6163.

Email Us

E info@botanicalsociety.org.za

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