Know, grow, protect and enjoy South Africa's indigenous plants
Location: Mpumalanga, South Africa
Lowveld Branch
The Lowveld branch was established in 1971 with a drive to discovering the wonders of our unique flora.
About the branch
It is an active branch that spends as much time as possible out in the veld. The monthly meetings involve talking to local plant specialists and hiking lesser known areas looking for unusual and interesting plants, as well as keeping up to date with local conservation and building projects within the Lowveld Botanical Gardens.
About the Area
The Lowveld is a low lying area with a subtropical climate. It has a variety of different landscapes, from the vast areas of pristine bush intermingled with roaming big five to the busy towns of Nelspruit and White River to the cooler climate of Kaapsehoop and the Blyde River canyon, all having their own unique biodiversities. The Lowveld is also home to the majestic Makhonjwa mountains where numerous new species have recently been discovered. These mountains were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.
Cool Facts
1.
Ochna barbertonensis, named after the Barberton Centre of Endemism to which it is restricted. It was first documented in the Songimvelo Nature Reserve in 2012 and subsequent collections were made in Mountainlands Nature Reserve.
2.
Barberton Daisy – Gerbera jamesonii, named after Traugott Gerber and Robert Jameson. It is endemic to Mpumalanga and was discovered in 1888.
3.
Lowveld Chestnut tree – Sterculia murex was discovered in 1894 by William Botting Hemsley. It grows to around 10m tall with a 30cm diameter trunk & is only found in the lowveld.
4.
Nelspruit is home to the Lowveld Botanical Gardens and the Lowveld branch has built projects within the gardens, including a creeper arch which was conceptualised by a previous BotSoc Lowveld chairman, John Burrows. It was adapted by a BotSoc member to use natural materials & built in 2022.
Contact the Branch Chair
Latest Branch News
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.