And does the planter have a drainage hole? Cut back on watering during the fall winter months. Caring for this plant requires intense light and warm temperatures. You need to execute the low-nitrogen fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks between early fall and spring. Elephant bush houseplants (Portulacaria afra) thrive in bright light in a warm, draft-free room. Join our community and get exclusive succulent tips, giveaways and more! I want to put it on my patio and am trying to decide how big it will become….
The non-variegated form is more heat tolerant. It can survive in quite small quantities of soil and, most of the time, dry areas. Combine some of the old soil in the old pot with new soil, so you don’t give you plant shock when you transfer it into the new soil. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. An easy care plant that does well in partial to full sun To be on the safe side, I use cactus mix combined with perlite or a very porous mix like cactus jack. Remove a stem from the main plant, and allow it to callous for several days before placing on well-draining soil. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'succulentsnetwork_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_10',112,'0','0'])); The water storage plants like this plant use it fleshy branches and leave like reservoirs. It does well in full to partial sun. Proper water drainage should be the priority for all succulent soils. The Portulacaria Afra or the Elephant Bush is a perennial succulent shrub native to South Africa. To water the elephant bush correctly, you must use the soak and dry method. The container must be a 10 cm pot, and the ground must be firm to level the surface. Portulacaria Afra has small round leaves and thin branches like a miniature jade plant and are drought tolerant. If the elephant plant you have is too big for its current container, then you need to relocate the plant into a larger container, so it has room to grow. Then you can evacuate the leaves, which are at the base, leaving the section of the stem uncovered being 2 to 4 cm. If planted outdoors in warm climates, dig in 3 inches of fine sand or gritty material to supply well-drained soil. It is best placed next to a bookshelf or tall mantle so that the foliage can climb up up up! Portulacaria afra “Elephant Bush” Care: Location. It is It's frost-tender, but unless severely damaged, will bounce back. Do you need urgent help to keep them alive? Typically, the leaves of overwatered plant discolor and swell. Then water lightly and monitor the plant to make sure it is accepting its new home. Portulacaria afra is an attractive and robust succulent shrub species that is grown around the globe and is often used ornamentally as a house plant, pruned to resemble a bonsai. They start out as a small bush and eventually grow tree-like. Harsh changes in humidity can also have similar results. The elephant bush loves sunlight and can be in full sun for several hours at a time. Caring for Portulacaria Afra . It has the same appearance as the unrelated jade plant. Portulacaria afra needs bright light and very well-drained soil to thrive. Portulacaria afra “Elephant Bush” is a large, bushing succulent with woody stems that can grow to incredible heights when given the proper time, nutrients, and growing conditions. The elephant bush is a mighty plant, just like the animal it was named after. Portulacaria is the perfect plant for cultivation as indoor bonsai. It is exactly what it sounds like. It is an excellent house plant for a sunny window. This exotic plant is native to South Africa and Swaziland! Good selection for containers or in the ground, Dwarf Elephant Food requires very little irrigation once established, usually just some supplemental water through the dry summer season. But if the plant is not used to a lot of sunlight, you may have to slowly help the plant get used to full direct sunlight. How to Grow and Care for an Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra) | World of Succulents. The elephant bush does best when it lives in hot weather, just like in its home on the African plains. The difference from this variety from the regular one is that the Lilliput has much smaller leaves and grows much more compact. This new selection of Elephant Food performs beautifully as a groundcover! This plant is also marketed as Portulacaria afra 'Minima' and Portulacaria afra 'Prostrata' and sometimes referred to a Groundcover Jade – whatever you call it, it is a gem of a plant. As long as you practice the drought and soak methods and keep it in front of full indirect sunlight, your elephant plant will grow big and strong. The time of year, the water amount the plant gets and the fertilizer used to the growing process influence its shade. It is an excellent house plant for a sunny window. Tall and robust, this plant is an excellent addition to your houseplants. Portulacaria Afra can withstand temperatures as low as 20℉ to 25℉ or -3.89℃ to -6.67℃. Rounded river rock covers bare dirt and provides contrasting texture. To grow Portulacaria afra “Elephant Bush” from cuttings, use a sterile, sharp knife or pair of scissors. Make the 10 to 15 cm cut with a clean, sterile razor blade. This dainty plant is a new miniature Elephant Bush with petite leaves and branching.
All his bottom leaves are falling and the top is great? The bush can stand a few cold spells but not prolonged periods of cold. This very unusual and colorful plant is a slower growing succulent with dark green leaves and dark stems. If you use the normal potting soil, you need to add perlite, which can assist with aeration and drainage. Planted in the ground and allowed to grow to its full height, Portulacaria will tower up to 15 feet high. Use the balanced formula (for example, 20-20-20), a full-strength fertilizer, every week during the growing period and monthly during the slow period. Portulacaria afra also comes in miniature and variegated varieties. In southern Africa, Portulacaria afra is known by the names Elephant Bush and Elephant Food and is used by people for culinary and medicinal purposes. Portulacaria Afra Variegata Hanging Basket Succulents are fascinating, low-maintenance, Succulents are fascinating, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants that come in a range of stunning colors, shapes and textures. This succulent plant is sometimes called Baby Jade or Elephant Food. Portulacaria afra (elephant's food, elephant bush, spekboom) thrives in warm, sunny climates.