Wild Flowers in and near Cape Town

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. ... more

South Africa is home to thousands of species of flowering plants, many of which are found only in this part of the world. Every spring, regions across the country explode in colour with flowers of every shape, size and smell. Most famous are the proteas, a species indigenous to South Africa. Succulent plants that grow in semi-desert conditions, they explode into enormous blossoms of colour and are a treat for any plant lover.

Every spring, the region known as the Cape Floral Kingdom explodes into a blanket of colour stretching across the landscape. It encompasses regions of the Northern and Western Cape provinces and a visit to see the flowers is a popular weekend getaway for South Africans during the annual bloom.

Flowers can definitely be viewed from the road, but nature reserves in or near the towns of Darling, Nieuwoudtville, Springbok and Clanwilliam are great places to go for a stroll and see the flowers up close.

For a more permanent location to view indigenous flowers of South Africa head to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town. The vast 528 hectare park grows only indigenous South African plants and its many pathways and fields are a wonderful place to spend an afternoon walking among the hundreds of species of flowering plants. Again, spring is the best time to view the most variety of bloom.

Other locations known for their wild flowers include Dullstroom, Langebaan and Stilbaai.