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.

Our Conservation Work

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

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Crew Programme

KZN
STEWARDSHIP

Succulent plant crisis

Ex-situ plant collections

Latest Conservation News

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

BotSoc in action: Protecting threatened patches in Gqeberha

The Algoa BotSoc branch – custodians of the valuable plants and animals populating these patches with their “Adopt-A-Plot” initiative.

Webinar: Celebrating 10 years of the Overberg

We chat to Odette and her team about 10 years of renosterveld conservation.

Mossel Bay’s guardian buchu – scarcer than rhinos

Mossel Bay has its own endemic buchu species, Diosma aristata. It is scarcer than rhinos. Despite this, this little buchu is punching well above its weight.

Through thicket and thin: Protecting this incredible biome

Thicket comprises evergreen and deciduous trees, a rich succulent diversity from towering Euphorbias to creeping vygies, shrubs, vines, bulbs and grasses.

Colour them beautiful: Saving the Hilton daisy

The Hilton daisy is iconic and endangered

Get involved in plant conservation forums in 2022

South Africa’s biodiversity space 2022: Attend one of the biome and ecosystem-focused plant conservation forums that take place annually across South Africa.

Defining the Free State’s Bloemfontein karroid shrubland

Masters student Ricus Nel is growing our knowledge about this unique and biodiverse vegetation through his Master’s research funded by the Botanical Society

Botanical Gardens

BotSoc is a proud partner and funder of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), caretaker of our country’s 11 official National Botanical Gardens, as well as other privately run living libraries.

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FEATURED GARDEN
KAROO DESERT

Free State

Kwa-Zulu Natal

DURBAN

KWELERA

Garden Route

LOWVELD

Hantam

Pretoria

Harold Porter

Thohoyandou

KIRSTENBOSCH

Walter Sisulu

VELD & FLORA sings
SA heritage!

There’s no better time than Heritage Month to reflect on our country’s beautiful natural heritage – its glories, its rarities and the challenges it faces. That’s the general theme we’ve taken for Veld & Flora’s September 2022 issue, now on its way to BotSoc members.

MEMBERS: GET THE SEP 2022 ISSUE HERE

Remember that during the first three months of publication, only members have online access to the latest Veld & Flora. Additional copies of the print edition can be bought at the Botanical Society’s Kirstenbosch bookshops. Click here to join now!

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.

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#PlantPeople

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Latest #BotSocSA News

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

“Walking is man’s best medicine.” We couldn't agree more!

A liquorish-like vine for your food forest: Growing African Ginseng

African Ginseng, also known as uMondi or Mondia whitei.

Webinar: Great Southern Bioblitz

What BotSoc Branch champs are up to across South Africa.