Along with proper lighting and the right environmental conditions, they also need to go through a wintering period. I always encourage all my friends to enter the world of succulents. After a dormant period in winter, the bush produces small pink flowers grouped in clusters at the branches' ends. There really isn’t a set schedule or formula on when to water succulent plants like these. Portulacaria Afra ‘Elephant Bush’ foliage are edible and non-toxic to pets and humans. These plants are very easy to grow and propagate. It’s a great stress reliever and many gardeners report a sense of accomplishment when they feel they’ve shaped their bonsai into the miniature plant that they’ve been envisioning. 3. place 2-3 seeds in each socket and cover them with a very thin layer of the substrate. You’ll need clippers to take portulacaria cuttings, but you can snap jade stems with your fingers. I keep my plants outdoors all year and we get plenty of rain during the winter months so the chances of mines blooming will be slim, but I haven’t given up hope yet because anything is possible. These are extremely potent and can often burn the succulents rather than help them grow. Remove a stem from the plant using a sterile razor knife or sharp pair of scissors. Easy care and low maintenance means fabulous designs without the fuss! When the stem base is irrigated excessively, it rots. Click here to find about the soil requirements of this plant. Any plant that be trimmed regularly with little to no ill effect will make a good bonsai. A south facing window will work best, but an east or west facing windows will also do. Firebreak: The species is used in South Africa and SoCA in fire-prone areas, planted as a perimeter hedge. Your email address will not be published. I live in a very dry climate so my watering schedule is adapted to the dry conditions of my environment.
2. water so that the substrate is very wet. Portulacaria care requires warm temperatures and bright light. It is rare for Elephant Portulacaria to bloom in cultivation. Slowly increase the amount of sunlight it receives until it is fully acclimated to the sun. Bonsai plants are meant to bring the beauty of nature into more compact living spaces. However, if plants are moved from indoors to direct sunlight the leaves will burn and shed. It can be both outside and inside, but it must be placed in a, ASPCA’s (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) website. If you are looking for an easy, low maintenance succulent plant that will reward you for years and years to come, consider giving these Portulacaria Afra ‘Elephant Bush’ a try and you won’t be sorry. I have all of mines growing in containers outdoors. 3.Keep it in the family. This can be achieved by mixing cactus mix or potting soil with coarse sand (about 2:1 ratio). However, if plants are moved from indoors to direct sunlight the leaves will burn and shed. Btw, in its native South Africa, it’s commonly called “spekboom.”, Elephant’s food “has enormous carbon-storing capabilities,” says South Africa’s Spekboom Foundation. Water. Choose varying shades of a single color for added dimensions in your design and experiment with different shapes and sizes of the same color. 2. If you suspect poisoning, contact your local veterinarian immediately or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. It is very easy to take care plant, so much so that it is suitable for beginners. As a drought tolerant plant, Elephant succulent doesn’t need lots of water to survive. At first sight, many often think ‘afra’ is a mini Crassula ovata (dwarf jade plant) because of their similar appearance. While the plant is taking root (4-6 weeks), take care to keep it out of direct sunlight and ensure that you are keeping the soil moist when it starts to go dry. However, when they get the proper growing conditions, they will produce flowers in clusters and in shades of white, pink or purple. Also, you can have it both in the garden and in a pot. It can be both outside and inside, but it must be placed in a bright area since it does not live well in semi-shade. Often people think that you don’t need fertilizer for succulents. The former is caused by over or under watering.
Haworthia Cymbiformis: Growing The Cathedral Window Haworthia, Gasteria Plant Care: Learn To Grow And Propagate Gasteria Succulents, Trumpet Vine: How To Care For Campsis Radicans, Nana’s Garden: Virtual Gardening With Grandkids While Social Distancing. If you are unsure how much and how often to water in the beginning, it’s always better to underwater and increase watering as needed. I recommend using a water soluble fertilizer diluted to half the recommended strength. The good news is: you can! If kept outdoors, place in a bright sunny location. This plant is hardy to grow in USDA zones 9-11. This plant needs well-draining potting mix such as a cactus mix or sandy soil. Propagate Elephant Bush easily using stem cuttings. Before moving the plant outdoors or increasing the amount of sunlight it receives, it is better to acclimate the plant to help prevent sunburn or sun damage. Succulents are ideal for bonsai, so if you’re looking for a new project or something interesting to try with your plants, give bonsai a chance. Eat green leaves only; those that are variegated are bitter. In its native habitat in the eastern part of South Africa and the Limpopo Province from the Eastern Cape northward it’s found growing in dry, rocky slopes.
You do have to be careful not to use a fertilizer that is too strong, otherwise the succulents can burn. It develops cylindrical stems, from which leaves of less than 1cm or less, fleshy, and green, or variegated (Portulacaria afra f. Variegata) arise. In its native habitat, Portulacaria afra provides 80 percent of the diet of elephants. It is popularly known as an elephant bush, although it can confuse many people, it is not a tree, but a bush or at most, a small tree. In addition to being a pleasing ornamental plant, Elephant Bush has a number of uses. 3. The roots are often trimmed as well to keep the plant small and bonsai are usually planted in shallow dishes or planters. Ensure that the potting mix in the new container is fresh so the plant’s nutrient supply is replenished accordingly. Other problems with Elephant Bush include leaf dropping and leaf yellowing. Create a natural flow for the eyes with just a bit of trailing vine flowing over an edge. Feed plants in the early spring or late winter with a diluted indoor plant fertilizer at 50% strength. Color will play a large part in your design. However, it is most likely to remain a smaller plant growing only a few feet tall.
5. insert the seedbed into a tray without holes. That way you can bring them indoors during winter or when there is forecast of frost or snow. Most gardeners get into bonsai because of its peaceful nature. They grow upright horizontally but can also spread out laterally and sprawl or hang, which makes them a great choice for hanging baskets. 2. Elephant bush houseplants (Portulacaria afra) thrive in bright light in a warm, draft free room. Here are some of my recommendations for frost protection. It reaches a height of between 2.5 and 4.5 meters. They produce clusters of tiny white, pink or purple flowers. Monochromatic doesn’t have to be boring. Ideally, the plant needs at least 5-6 hours of light. The rainbow elephant bush or portulacaria afra is multiplied by seeds or, more frequently, by stem cuttings. You want this component to be the show stopper. You can use frost cloths or mini greenhouses to help them survive the cold winter. After that time, you plant it in a pot with a universal culture substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts.
One good way to tell whether it’s time to water is to check the moisture of the soil. The flowers are grouped into inflorescences and appear in summer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The top inch of the soil needs to feel dry before you can water again. What if you could apply that unique style of gardening to succulents? If you have extreme winter conditions in your area, the best way to grow these plants are in containers. Get rid of these by wiping it down with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. 1. As a rule of thumb, they need more water in the summer months when it’s hotter and drier as opposed to cooler winter months. I am guilty of making this mistake when I first got a hold of an Elephant Bush plant. Spiller – Adding a succulent to cascade over your pot or container is like icing on the cake. Because of the plant’s sour taste when consumed, in some parts of South Africa, it is used as an ingredient in salads and stew.
They are hardiest in USDA zones 9-11. Whether you’re attracted to the miniature aesthetic or zen atmosphere of the bonsai, the appeal of those tiny trees is understandable. The Elephant jade plant has several ways to show off its interesting features. The most common type of plant used in bonsai are woody-stemmed trees or shrubs, but succulents are becoming a more popular choice for bonsai lovers. They generally thrive when given regular waterings. The plant is known to absorb carbon in the air which is why it has gleaned a reputation for being a carbon-sponge plant. This plant is susceptible to mealy bugs that appear as small, cottony spots on the green leaves. The ASPCA’s (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) website provides valuable information and a comprehensive list of toxic and nontoxic plants for cats, dogs, and other house pets. The name Portulacaria afra “Elephant Bush” may not tell you anything, but I am convinced that you have seen this plant more than once when visiting a nursery or a garden shop, the rainbow elphant bush. In spring or summer fill a seedbed (like this one you can get here) with a universal culture substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts. These plants are highly adapted to dry conditions and drought but they thrive when given sufficient water.
The stem gets thicker over time as the plant matures.
In about 3 weeks it will begin to emit its own roots.
I do not use exact measurements but eyeball it to about 2:1 solution of cactus mix and perlite. Surprisingly though not many people think succulents need fertilizer! It is very easy to take care plant, so much so that it is suitable for beginners. Other pests to look out for are spider mites and whitefly. The protagonist is a succulent non-cactus plant native to South Africa whose scientific name is Portulacaria afra.
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