Sparrmannia africana

Even before its pretty flowers appear, Sparrmannia africana (African hemp) is a most attractive evergreen shrub. The large, soft, downy leaves are heart-shaped with between 3 and 9 lobes and are held well out on bristly stalks around the branches. Towards the ends of the branches clusters of up to 20 white flower buds hang from hairy stalks which rise 45 degrees as the flowers open with the petals reflexing fully, revealing a puff of golden and red-purple stamens. When touched these protrude even further, a device thought to aid pollination.

Part of the mallow family, Malvaceae, S. africana, a frost tender plant, was introduced to cultivation in European conservatories about 1778 by Swedish botanist and doctor, Anders Sparrmann, a pupil of Linnaeus. He had travelled to South Africa as a ship’s surgeon and found the plant on an expedition to the Eastern Cape where it is quite commonly encountered.

Find the plant in the West Dome of the Pavilions, the South African section.