This is a great plant for the gardener who makes a lot of roasts and stews. Gorgeous purple flowers shoot out of the top of this bulbous plant. Aside from beautifying your garden, the plant has various uses. The leaves can be used the same way you’d use spinach. They’re credited with fighting oesophageal cancer and sinus headaches according to Sa-venues.com. The bulbs can be used just like regular garlic. The plant is valued for keeping snakes, ticks, mosquitoes and fleas away.
Garlic buchu is great for the home chef who likes to make vinegar and infused oils. When any part of the plant is touched, it releases a strong garlic scent. The plant is also loaded with essential oils, and you can chew on its leaves raw, according to Livingfearlesslya.com.
This vibrant yellow flower plant is originally from the Cape region of South Africa but can now be spotted all over California. The entire plant is edible, and tastes slightly of lemon, making it great for salads, says Rootsimple.com. The plant is technically a weed so it will spread in your garden fast, but it looks stunning.
This plant not only produces bold pink flowers, but its leaves have several medicinal and culinary uses. Drinking wild malva-infused tea daily can fight flu symptoms like coughs and sore throats, as well as stomach issues. Applying the leaves externally can help heal wounds and sores, says Wildolivecottage.co.za.
This plant deserves the nickname num-num since its deep red berries are loaded with flavor and ideal for making jams. The berries can be eaten raw, too, and taste a bit like cranberries. The plant grows best when exposed to salty wind and thrives in coastal areas, says Eattheweeds.com. It also boasts a 10 percent vitamin C content. Just be aware that the berries are poisonous to dogs.
This plant looks similar to mint and has many of the same cooking uses. You can add it raw to a fruity salad for an interesting flavor, or infuse homemade syrups with it. The plant grows well in damp areas and is often found in South African marshes. Drinking tea infused with this herb is said to help treat asthma and other respiratory ailments, says Plantzafrica.com.
This aromatic plant with small white flowers grows in the Cape region of South Africa. The plant grows best in full sun, and when it’s fully grown, you can put the leaves directly into iced tea for flavoring, or at the bottom of cake tins. The leaves have chemicals that are great for treating oily skin and acne, says Herbottage.com. Chewing the leaves are said to help with digestive issues, too.
This beloved South African native is also known as ice plant. It’s not quite as beloved in other parts of the world where it thrives and is considered invasive, including Australia, California and the Mediterranean, which have similar climates to the Cape. Bright flowers burst out the top of its succulent leaves. There are 30 species in the carpobrotus family. The C. acinaciformis grows delicious edible fruit great for making jams, says Plantzafrica.com. The juice from the leaves is antiseptic and can be applied to sores, or consumed to ease a sore throat and stomach issues.
