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

BotSoc Blog

BotSoc is dedicated to biodiversity conservation and environmental education and awareness. Read our latest blogs and news stories here and join us as we get to know, grow, protect and enjoy South Africa’s indigenous plants.

The power of palmiet
The power of palmiet
You can help restore watercourses by propagating palmiet with this step-by-step guide.
Webinar: Desirable plants and how to protect them
Webinar: Desirable plants and how to protect them
Actions to improve the response to poaching of our desirable plants – succulents and cycads.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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,”
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.
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.
Webinar: Herbaria: What’s the blooming point?
Webinar: Herbaria: What’s the blooming point?
There's nothing boring about herbaria. The truth is, they play an incredibly important role in solving many of our plant and ecological mysteries.
What you must know about BotSoc membership changes
What you must know about BotSoc membership changes
Following amendments to the BotSoc/SANBI collaboration agreement, there are some important membership changes to take note of.
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
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.
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