Traditional, useful and medicinal plants are growing in popularity again as people want to learn about them, so Kirstenbosch Gardens shared a helpful guide.
Cape Town, South Africa (01 September 2022) – Happy unofficial Spring Day! Actual spring day falls on the 23rd of September this year, but one can’t help but feel that spring of energy that magically settles on South African spirits from the 1st day of September!
In celebration of what is to come, we are looking at the useful and traditional medicinal plants on display at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. The gardens, in turn, have celebrated these wonderful plants too.
With South Africans returning back to the soil, growing vegetables and taking an interest in indigenous plants, the knowledge shared by the gardens is beneficial.
“Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is home to the Useful Plants Garden, which displays various traditional medicinal and useful plants along with a short description of their uses.
Traditional plants that are found in our Garden include:
– The popular umhlonyane, also known as wilde-als or African Wormwood (Artemisia afra) used to treat colds, flu, headaches, colic, constipation, and to destroy intestinal worms; umgongozi, also known as suurvy.
– Sour Fig (Carpobrotus edulis) used to treat sore throats, mouth ulcers, burns, bruises, cuts, and stings and has edible fruits; and icakatha, also known as trompetters.
– Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) used to relieve pain, bring down a fever and help one sleep.As the annual week-long recognition of African Traditional Medicine comes to an end we thought it necessary that we share some things you #needtoknow about the use of traditional medicine.”



They even shared some incredible facts about local medicinals.
- Over 70% of South Africans use traditional medicine.
- Traditional African medicine is a holistic discipline that involves indigenous herbalism combined with aspects of African spirituality.
- African Traditional Medicine can be based on herbal remedies as practised by a herbalist/ iNyanga (Nguni) or a combination of herbal remedies with African spirituality as practised by (izaNgoma (Nguni) / spiritual healers.
- Plants can be toxic if taken at the wrong time or with an incorrect dosage. It is, therefore important to consult a professional practitioner for advice before self-medication.
- SANBI promotes sustainable plant use of indigenous plants; therefore Useful Plants’ seed or plant material for propagations where possible and is made available at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on request.
Yes, you read that last point right, the gardens offer seeds and cuttings of these useful plants! How incredible is that? If you are keen to learn as much as you can about plants, and invasives, you can check out SANBI here or Kristenbosch National Botanical Gardens here.