South African Medicinal Plants
Wild Dagga is a South African medicinal plant.
South Africa is the third most biodiverse country in the world and inhabitants have for centuries employed the help of indigenous medicinal plants. These healing plants treated all sorts of maladies including cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis (TB) as well as more benign complaints such as the common cold, arthritis, menstrual problems, stomach issues, to ward off lighting, evil powers and chase away mosquitoes and dogs.
In this section SouthAfrica.co.za provides well-researched content on a variety of topics relating to South African Medicinal Plants, translated into all 11 official South African languages.
African Ginger (Siphonochilus aethiopicus) is a popular Zulu herbal medicine that was believed to offer protection against snakes and lightning. Benefits of African Ginger Oil include...
moreThe versatile aloe is known for being the healing succulent. Its fleshy leaves hold nourishing properties that facilitate the healing and improvement of many ailments, most commonly skin-related....
moreNot related to the household potato, the African wild potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) is associated with the lily and is a very hardy and drought resistant plant native to South Africa....
moreBenefits of Baobab and Baobab Oil. Baobab provides food, water and fibre but also have medicinal uses. Young leaves are used in cooking or to treat fever....
moreBuchu has long been described as a “miracle herb” and medicinal plant in South Africa, being used for centuries as a folk remedy or “boereraat” for anything from urinary tract infections to nervousness....
moreBuchu (‘boegoe’ in Afrikaans) is a generic name for members of the aromatic Rutaceae family and is prized for its medicinal properties worldwide. Used in South Africa for centuries by the San and Khoi people...
moreAlso called Bush tea (Eng.) Boesmanstee (Afr.), Icholocholo, itshelo, umthsanelo (isiZulu), Athrixia phylicoides with its soft dark green foliage and purple daisy-like flowers is a popular garden plant with health benefits...
moreCamphor bush, Tarchonanthus camphoratus is also known as leleshwa, African wild sage or ‘vaalbos’ (Afrikaans). Camphor bush helps treat fevers, wounds and cuts and acts as a natural preservative...
moreKnown as African wormwood or sagewood - Artemisia afra - is a highly aromatic plant. Used for its multitude of medicinal properties artemisia helps in the treatment of malaria, headaches, intestinals worms...
moreMongongo trees (Schinziophyton rautanenii), also known as manketti, are found in southern Africa especially in the deep sandy soils of the Kalahari. The high protein and oil content make Mongongo nut oil an excellent treatment...
moreCape chamomile (Eriocephalus punctulatus) is one of the lesser-known ‘camomile’ plants used for its oils healing properties. Cape Chamomile oil is praised for its calming properties...
moreCape rose geranium essential oil - Pelargonium capitatum x radens (rose) - is the preferred one of 700 varieties of cultivated geranium and a hybrid of two of the three oil-producing pelargoniums....
moreThis small shrub with silver leaves and white flowers are called Eriocephalus africanus and is of the Asteraceae family. Named after the fluffy seed tufts, the Cape snowbush is also called kapokbos in Afrikaans...
moreCannabis is most often associated with the high one gets from smoking the flower buds or resin of the plant. However, there is so much more to this healing plant than its popularized intoxicating effects....
moreExtracts of rose oil contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and are suitable for use on all skin types, including sensitive and oily skin. It helps to reduce redness and has excellent moisturising properties....
moreThe Southern African Khoisan and Bantu-speakers have used devil’s claw for indigestion, blood diseases, fevers, sprains and boils.
Modern applications of the plant include a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and natural pain relief for arthritis...
moreEucalyptus was originally used by Aboriginal Australians for its antiseptic properties - healing wounds, fungal infections and also to break fevers...
moreHelichrysum essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which is ideal for tendonitis, tissue pain and rheumatism. It is also antifungal, antiseptic and due to its regeneration properties can aid the healing of scar tissue...
moreSought-after for its medicinal properties, curious-looking Hoodia gordonii is also called 'Bitter Ghaap', Kalahari cactus, ‘bokhorings’ (goat horns in Afrikaans) or Khobab (in Khoisan)....
moreMany plants in South Africa - whether indigenous or naturalised - have been used as natural skin care or organic cosmetics by indigenous people and tribes for centuries....
moreKalahari melon fruit is used by the San (Bushmen) people as a source of water, as well as a moisturiser and sunscreen. It is eaten by livestock and game. As a human food source, the seeds are high in protein...
moreRich in a volatile oil with a lemon-like fragrance, Lippia Javanica repels insects and rodents. Grown commercially in South Africa for essential oil production, a mosquito repellant candle...
moreMarula oil is rich in essential fatty acids and its fine molecular structure is the key to its effectiveness as a skin hydrator and protector making it ideal for most of all skin types...
moreThe potency of South African Medicinal Plants have been recognized by the international pharmacological, food and cosmetic industries and are used in a variety of applications....
moreMoringa is now considered a ‘super-food’. The powdered leaves, roots, bark and immature pods are used for its nutritional, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue-protective benefits....
morePlants such as the parsley tree are valuable in this time of great societal stress where there is a great need for natural relaxing remedies....
moreThe bark and leaves of the pepper-bark tree contain various compounds with antibacterial, anti-fungicidal (particularly against Candida yeast infections), anti-ulcer and diuretic properties....
moreThe strange-looking pineapple lily is a striking bulbous plant resembling a flowering green pineapple. Native to South Africa, its yellow-greenish flowers are carried on long spikes with a tuft of green ‘leaves’ at the top....
moreMany people ask why are psychoactive plants important to know about? Traditional medicine has hundreds of unexplored South African medicinal plants that are used to counter stress....
moreRed milkwood (Mimusops zeyheri) is also called moepel, Mmupudu, umPushane, Nhlantswa and Mubululu and is native to Africa....
moreRooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a shrubby legume indigenous to the mountains of the Western Cape and endemic to South Africa. The caffeine-free Rooibos tea reputed to have medicinal properties...
moreSage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial shrub with fragrant grey-green leaves about 60 cm high in the family of Labiatae/Lamiaceae. Sage was one of the first plants to be used medicinally by the Dutch at the Cape...
moreThis climbing or creeping plant - Sceletium tortuosum - has been known and used in South Africa for centuries. The Khoisan used the plant and introduced its mood elevating effects to the early colonisers around 1662....
moreThe sourplum tree is also known as the wild plum or monkey plum. Benefits of Sourplum include helping treat nausea in pregnancy and it is appreciated for its moisturising properties....
moreThe ‘cure-all’ of South African plants, Sutherlandia frutescens is widely praised for its immune boosting, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties used for ailments such as arthritis, cancer and as a treatment of adult-onset, type-2 diabetes mellitus....
moreLavender is a Mediterranean plant and not indigenous to South Africa, however, it is planted here and high-quality lavender oil is produced and exported from South Africa....
morePelargonium sidoides has mildly aromatic velvety leaves and almost black flowers and is a well-known medicinal plant in South Africa. It has been shown to safely and effectively treat acute upper respiratory tract infections...
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