What wild flowers to see on a

winter walk on Table Mountain

Explore the diversity of the Fynbos plant kingdom on a guided Table Mountain Hike

One of the special things about Table Mountain is that no matter what time of year you walk you will see an abundance of wild flowers. Not surprising really considering that the Fynbos floral kingdom is the most diverse in the world.

Here are just some of the wild flowers I have seen this June on Table Mountain.

The Waboom Protea is one of the larger shrubs found all over Table Mountain. The name means “wagon tree” as the wood was used as brakes on he Voortrekkers wagons. These Proteas flower between May and September.

The Narrow leaved Sorrel (Oxalis family) is found mainly on the North and Western slopes of the mountain. It is quite small but very visible due to its bright colour.

The Lesser Cobra Lilly (Iris family) always catches the eye. It is found mainly in damp places. I have seen this plant all over Table Mountain but this picture was taken on the jeep track above Constantia Nek.

The Coathanger Heath (Erica family) is widespread over the whole mountain. It actually may flower all year around but mainly flowers between March and September. It is found all over the mountain mainly on rocky or drier ground.

The Common Tickberry (Daisy family) is one of the most noticable wild flowers at this time of year. Mainly because it is a large shrub that seems to spread itself as far as possible. I have seen it all over the lower slopes of Table Mountain throughout June.

These few examples do not even begin to show all the plants that are flowering on Table Mountain at the moment. Next time you are on a walking on the mountain stop for a moment and look at the veld around you. In a very small area there will be an amazing variety of species, some so tiny that if you don’t stop and look for them you’ll miss them.