Flora

uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · 28 species

What grows along the way — summer wildflowers, fire-hardy proteas, forest yellowwoods and the grass that turns the Berg red.

A broad-leaved poker (Kniphofia northiae) spike shading from red buds to yellow flowers on a misty mountain slope

Flower · All heights

Red-hot poker

Kniphofia spp.

Torches of coral, orange and yellow along streams, marshes and wet cliffs.

1,280–3,480 mMostly summer
Drooping spikelets of red grass (Themeda triandra) on long awned stems, Free State Drakensberg

Grass · Valleys · Slopes

Red grass

Themeda triandra

The grass that colours the lower slopes rust-red as it dries.

1,280–2,865 mGreen in summer
A mountain cabbage tree (Cussonia paniculata) with its round crown on a slope along the Tugela Gorge trail

Tree · Valleys · Slopes

Mountain cabbage tree

Cussonia paniculata

A thick-stemmed, round-crowned little tree with blue-grey leaves.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
Yellow flowerheads on silver-grey leaves of Helichrysum subglomeratum in the Lesotho Drakensberg

Shrub · All heights

Everlastings

Helichrysum spp.

Silver-grey cushions and papery flowers that last for months.

1,280–3,480 mSpring to autumn
Pink bells of the Drakensberg hairbell (Dierama dracomontanum) hanging from arching stems, Giants Castle

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Hairbells

Dierama spp.

Pink bells nodding from arching, hair-thin stems.

1,280–2,865 mSpring to summer
Orange spikes of Watsonia pillansii standing above rocky grassland

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Watsonia

Watsonia spp.

Spikes of pink or orange trumpets standing above the grass.

1,280–2,865 mLate spring to midsummer
A cluster of orange-red tubular flowers of the fire lily Cyrtanthus tuckii rising from dry winter grass

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Fire lily

Cyrtanthus spp.

Flowers that spring up out of blackened veld soon after a fire.

1,280–2,865 mLate winter to spring
Pink and white flowers of the ground orchid Satyrium cristatum, Giants Castle

Flower · All heights

Ground orchids

Satyrium, Disa, Habenaria & others

Dozens of orchid species flower in the grass — easy to walk past.

1,280–3,480 mSummer
Nodding white bells of the berg lily (Ornithogalum candicans) in grassland, Royal Natal National Park

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Berg lily

Ornithogalum candicans

Tall spikes of fragrant white bells in damp grassy hollows.

1,280–2,865 mMidsummer
Cream spathes and white-spotted leaves of Zantedeschia albomaculata, Witsieshoek

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Spotted-leaved arum

Zantedeschia albomaculata

A small wild arum with white-spotted, arrow-shaped leaves.

1,280–2,865 mSpring to autumn
Pink flower heads and silvery leaves of the silver sugarbush (Protea roupelliae) near The Cavern, Drakensberg

Shrub · Valleys · Slopes

Silver sugarbush

Protea roupelliae

  • Least Concern

Silvery-leaved proteas on the spurs, often visited by sugarbirds.

1,280–2,865 mLate summer to autumn
Hooded scarlet flowers of Gladiolus flanaganii

Flower · Slopes · Summit

Drakensberg gladiolus

Gladiolus flanaganii

  • Drakensberg endemic
  • Least Concern

Scarlet flowers hanging from wet basalt cliffs along the high escarpment.

1,830–3,480 mMidsummer

Grass · Summit

Drakensberg wire grass

Merxmuellera drakensbergensis

  • Drakensberg endemic

Tall, tough tussocks that dominate patches of the high peaks.

2,865–3,480 mAll year
A bright red bottlebrush flower head of Greyia sutherlandii, Drakensberg

Tree · Valleys

Natal bottlebrush

Greyia sutherlandii

Brushes of scarlet flowers on rocky ridges in late winter and spring.

1,280–1,830 mLate winter to spring
Clusters of red tubular flowers of the fire heath (Erica cerinthoides), Royal Natal National Park

Shrub · Slopes · Summit

Heaths

Erica spp.

Small-leaved shrubs with tiny bells, thickest on the summit plateau.

1,830–3,480 mSpring and summer
Leafy ouhout shoots with a slender flower spike, Royal Natal National Park

Shrub · Valleys · Slopes

Ouhout

Leucosidea sericea

The silvery, shaggy-barked shrub lining almost every stream gully.

1,280–2,865 mEvergreen
Dense heads of small creamy-white sagewood (Buddleja salviifolia) flowers

Shrub · Valleys · Slopes

Sagewood

Buddleja salviifolia

A wrinkled-leaved bush covered in sweet-smelling lilac flowers in spring.

1,280–2,865 mFlowers in spring
A spiral aloe rosette with orange-red flower heads beside a stone wall in Lesotho

Flower · Slopes

Spiral aloe

Aloe polyphylla

  • Lesotho endemic
  • CITES Appendix I

A perfect spiral of leaves, found wild only in the mountains of Lesotho.

1,830–2,865 mSpring to early summer
A mat of small pink star-shaped Rhodohypoxis baurii flowers among narrow leaves

Flower · All heights

Red star

Rhodohypoxis baurii

Tiny pink, red and white stars carpeting damp rocky ground.

1,280–3,480 mSpring to summer
Glossy strap-shaped leaves of a broad-leaved yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius)

Tree · Valleys

Broad-leaved yellowwood

Podocarpus latifolius

  • National tree
  • Protected

Tall evergreen conifers in the shaded forest patches of the valleys.

1,280–1,830 mAll year
A creamy-pink common sugarbush (Protea afra) flower head opening, KZN Drakensberg

Shrub · Valleys · Slopes

Common sugarbush

Protea afra

The everyday Berg protea: gnarled, corky-barked and full of birds.

1,280–2,865 mSummer
Blue bell agapanthus flowers in grassland below a rocky outcrop

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Bell agapanthus

Agapanthus campanulatus

Round heads of pale-to-deep blue flowers on damp grassy slopes.

1,280–2,865 mMid- to late summer
A dense clump of Berg bamboo (Bergbambos tessellata) on a mountain slope

Grass · Valleys · Slopes

Berg bamboo

Bergbambos tessellata

  • Least Concern

Dense clumps of true bamboo in damp gullies and along streams.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
Mountain cypress (Widdringtonia nodiflora) trees growing on a rocky mountain slope

Tree · Valleys · Slopes

Mountain cypress

Widdringtonia nodiflora

A small, pine-like conifer in rocky gullies, resprouting after fire.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
Grassland tree ferns (Alsophila dregei) standing in open grassland, Royal Natal National Park

Tree · Valleys · Slopes

Grassland tree fern

Alsophila dregei

  • Protected

Stout, dark-trunked tree ferns standing out in the open along streams.

1,280–2,865 mAll year
Greenish flower spikes of the dwarf pineapple lily (Eucomis humilis) among rocks

Flower · All heights

Pineapple lily

Eucomis spp.

  • Protected

A flower spike topped with a tuft of leaves, like a small pineapple.

1,280–3,480 mMidsummer to late summer
Pink flower heads of Nerine bowdenii against a dark background

Flower · Slopes · Summit

Large pink nerine

Nerine bowdenii subsp. wellsii

  • Drakensberg endemic
  • Rare

Drifts of bright pink nerines on wet basalt ledges around Mont-aux-Sources.

1,830–3,480 mLate summer to autumn
Pinkish-red star flowers of the scarlet river lily (Hesperantha coccinea), Royal Natal National Park

Flower · Valleys · Slopes

Scarlet river lily

Hesperantha coccinea

Bright red stars with their feet in the water along mountain streams.

1,280–2,865 mLate summer to autumn