Can elephant bush grow in shade?
Outdoors, elephant bush will thrive in full sun to part shade. For houseplants that translates into direct sunlight, or indirect bright light.
Does elephant bush like full sun?
Elephant Bush Care Like most succulents, elephant bush thrives on neglect. Just plant it in full sun in sandy soil so it dries quickly and the roots don't rot.
How often should I water elephant bush?
In general, you should only need to water your Portulacaria Afra Elephant Bush every 2-3 weeks in the summer and once a month or less during other times of the year.
Can elephant bush survive in low light?
Like many succulents, Elephant bush will require at least 4-6 hours of sunlight a day to keep them happy and thriving. They love when placed in bright sunny spots because it represents their natural habitat. Under poor lighting, the plant will have elongated leaves as the plant stretches to reach the light.
Why are the leaves falling off my elephant bush?
The primary cause of Elephant Bush losing leaves is overwatering. Too much water prevents pant to get enough oxygen, which encourages fungal rot diseases. The first sign of overwatering is swollen and discolored leaves.
How big does an elephant bush get?
This is a soft-wooded, semi-evergreen upright multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that can grow 8 to 15 feet tall in the ground in mild climates (hardy in zones 9- 11).
How long do elephant Bushes live?
The ultimate height will take between 5 - 10 years to achieve, but can live for up to 20 years or more in the right care.
Do elephant bush like to be root bound?
Generally, the ideal potting soil for elephant bush plants should dry out in a few days. If the soil is damp for longer, you will need to amend it with perlite, pea gravel, or pumice. Also, check that the plant isn't rootbound. A dense root system can mean that water takes longer to drain and become waterlogged.
When should I repot my elephant bush?
Best Time for Repotting Portulacaria Afra. Spring through summer. I like to wait until the temperatures have warmed & the days have gotten a bit longer. In more temperate climates, you can repot from late winter through early fall.
How do you know when to water an elephant bush?
0:584:41How to care for Elephant Bush | Portulacaria Afra Care - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo to prevent drowning your elephant bush limit your watering regimen to once every week or twoMoreSo to prevent drowning your elephant bush limit your watering regimen to once every week or two weeks or whenever you feel the soil is dry.
Is jade plant same as elephant bush?
Portulacaria Afra, commonly known as Elephant Bush, are often mistaken for Crassula Ovata 'Jade Plants' because they resemble each other in a lot of ways. Although Elephant Bush closely resemble Jade Plants in appearance, they are not at all related.
What is indirect sunlight?
Indirect sunlight occurs when something in the path of light from the sun diffuses or filters the sunlight before it hits your plants. Examples include sheer curtains, a piece of furniture, a tree outside your window, or even another indoor plant placed in front to protect the lower-light plant.
How do you care for an outdoor elephant Bush?
3:014:41How to care for Elephant Bush | Portulacaria Afra Care - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo it's best to put the plant in a pot where it can easily be relocated. Inside just make sure toMoreSo it's best to put the plant in a pot where it can easily be relocated. Inside just make sure to avoid placing it near a heating or air conditioning vent as it tends to get dry. The best time to move
Why is my elephant bush yellow?
Over-watering symptoms include yellowing leaves, a collapsed stem, wilting and plant death. Never situate yours in a dark location; the combination of both too little light and too much soil moisture will slowly lead to root rot.
How long does elephant Bush live?
Form: A succulent shrub. Lifespan: Over 50 years. Leaf retention: Evergreen.
Are elephant bushes slow growing?
In its natural environment, variegated elephant bush can reach heights of up to 20 feet (6 m.). However, this slow-growing plant is usually limited to 10 feet (3 m.) or less in the home garden.
Growing Elephant Bush Houseplants
These succulents need well drained soil and an unglazed pot that will help excess moisture evaporate. The best mixture for this type of plant is ca...
How to Care For Elephant Bush
Portulacaria care is similar to other succulent plants. If planted outdoors in warm climates, dig in 3 inches of sand or gritty material to provide...
Propagation of Elephant Bush Succulents
Like most succulents, elephant bush is easy to reproduce from cuttings. Take cuttings in spring or summer for best results. Let the cutting dry out...
How cold can an elephant bush get?
The elephant bush is not known for its frost tolerance, and even a small amount of frost may damage the plant. Typically, its tolerant temperature sits at 55 °F on the low end. Areas that do not see frost or a cold winter may be able to plant the bush outdoors year-round.
How long does it take for a Spekboom to grow?
Spekboom flowers are rare in cultivation and can take several years to appear on the plant, especially when grown indooors. ( 1)
What to do if water goes through cactus?
If, when watering the plant, you notice that water goes right through the pot then you may need to change the potting mixture to accommodate more moisture retention. A cactus soil mix is typically recommended.
Why do succulents have leaf drop?
Overwatering is a huge problem with any succulents and can cause leaf drop and root rot if the soil stays too consistently moist.
How can plants be encouraged to bloom?
Still, plants can be encouraged to bloom by providing the plant with as close conditions as its native habitat as possible . This is easier in arid environments but may still prove difficult.
Is an elephant bush a succulent?
The elephant bush is considered an excellent beginner succulent because it can withstand drought easily. Given sufficient light and favorable temperatures, the elephant bush plant is ideal for the home, and may be planted outdoors in areas that do not receive any frost.
Can you fertilize elephant bush?
It is important to note that any indoor fertilizer should be done at half-strength, or in a highly diluted form, as the elephant bush does not require a lot of fertilization to remain healthy.
What kind of soil do elephant bush plants need?
These succulents need well drained soil and an unglazed pot that will help excess moisture evaporate. The best mixture for this type of plant is cactus soil or potting soil cut by half with sand, vermiculite, or pumice. Choose a location with indirect sunlight when growing elephant bush indoors.
How tall do elephant bush plants get?
Elephant bush plant may get 6 to 20 feet (2-6 m.) tall in habitat where it is a favorite food of elephants. In the home interior, it is much more likely to remain just a few feet (around 1 m.) tall. The bush has thick succulent brown stems with small tender green leaves that resemble a diminutive jade plant.
What zone do elephant bush houseplants grow in?
The plant is a succulent with fleshy, glossy leaves that grows as a small bush. They are only hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. Elephant bush houseplants ( Portulacaria afra) thrive in bright light in a warm, draft free room.
How to propagate elephant bush?
Propagation of Elephant Bush Succulents. Like most succulents, elephant bush is easy to reproduce from cuttings. Take cuttings in spring or summer for best results. Let the cutting dry out and callous for a couple of days and then plant the cutting in damp gritty soil in a small pot. Place the cutting in a moderately lit area where temperatures are ...
How to grow elephant bush from cuttings?
Place the cutting in a moderately lit area where temperatures are at least 65 degrees F. (18 C.). Keep the soil lightly moist and in a few weeks the cutting will root and you will have a new elephant bush succulent to share with a friend or add to your collection.
Why do my elephant bush leaves drop off?
Overly bright sunlight can char the leaves and cause them to drop off. Ensure that the container you choose has wide drainage holes. Elephant bush succulents work well as part of a succulent display with plants that require similar care and situations.
How much sunlight does an elephant bush need?
Elephant bush thrives in bright light. Portulacaria plants can grow in partial shade, but ideally, they need at least six hours of sunlight daily. It’s also essential to protect elephant bush plants from intense direct sunshine. Too much sunlight through a window can cause the leaf tips to turn yellow or burn.
How high do elephant bush plants grow?
Temperatures below 30°F (-1°C) damage the plant and can kill it. Elephant bush is a shrub-like plant or small tree that grows between 8 and 15 ft. (2.5 – 4.5 m) high when grown in the ground and ideal conditions. However, growing as a potted succulent indoors, elephant bush stems only grow a few feet.
What kind of soil do elephant bush plants need?
Elephant bush succulents must grow in porous sandy soil that has fast drainage. An ideal succulent soil mix combines 2 parts regular all-purpose potting soil, 1 part horticultural sand and 1 part perlite or pea gravel. Or you could buy a commercial succulent soil that is suitable for cactus plants or bonsai trees.
Why are my elephant bush leaves turning yellow?
Yellow leaves on elephant bush succulents are usually due to overwatering. Roots that sit in soggy soil can’t absorb nutrients to “feed” the plant. The result is yellowing leaves that eventually die. To help revive the Portulacaria afra plant, you can move it to a brighter location so that moisture evaporates faster.
How tall do rainbow portulacaria plants grow?
Rainbow Portulacaria plants thrive in arid conditions where there’s plenty of sunshine. In their natural habitat, rainbow elephant bush plants grow up to 20 ft. (6 m) tall. In containers, the variegated plant succulent stems reach about 10 ft. (3 m). Due to their trailing growth, varieties of elephant bush plants are ideal hanging basket plants.
What is a rainbow elephant bush?
Portulacaria afra ‘Variegata’ (“Rainbow Elephant Bush”) is a small-leaved succulent with creamy-white and green leaves. This variety of elephant bush has brighter-colored leaves than the darker jade-colored Portulacaria variety. Rainbow elephant bush also has long, reddish, woody stems that grow into a large shrub.
Why is the Portulacaria afra called the Elephant Bush?
Portulacaria afra “Elephant Bush” gets its common name because it’s a favorite food of elephants. Other common names include porkbush and spekboom.
How do elephant bush plants survive drought?
It has very fleshy and thick leaves. These leaves help this plant store water in the form of a gel. They use this water during the summer season to survive the partial drought conditions. These round beautiful leaves grow on the opposite ends of a node. This is also a flowering plant and produces small flowers during the blooming season. The Elephant Bush Plant can reach up to 20 feet in length as its branches keep spreading if not pruned. For that reason, if you are growing this plant in your home, you should regularly prune its large branches otherwise its size will keep increasing with time. It has a purple stem that is round, soft, smooth, and thin. This system divides into multiple branches that further divide into terminal branches.
How big does an elephant bush plant grow?
This plant is expected to grow between 6 to 20 feet or up to six meters if it is grown outside, while in indoor environments plants will not grow that much. Below is a complete guide about growing and taking care of the Elephant Bush plant.
What is the elephant food plant?
The Portulacaria Afra, which is also known as Elephant Bush, and Dwarf Jade is a bush-like cascading succulent plant known for its trailing habits. It is used as an ornamental plant for outdoor and indoor decorations. This is a plant that has fleshy leaves and elephants like to eat it. That is the reason for it to be called the Elephant Bush or Elephant Food. Due to its small leaves, it is also called the Dwarf Jade plant. This plant grows like a bush, and it spreads all around quickly. They are succulent plants so they like the hot environment and full sun in the winter but during the summer their leaves can wilt if they are exposed to extremely hot temperatures and full sun of the summer.
What is an elephant bush?
The Elephant Bush Plant is a flowering plant that produces beautiful and small flowers during the blooming season. Their blooming starts with the summer and lasts for up to two months. These flowers attract a lot of insects and have no scent. So, if you want, you can prune them out. The Elephant Bush Plant produces purple-pink flowers that match the color of the stem. The entire plant is covered with these flowers. It creates a beautiful cascade of flowers that trails outside the plant pot. The Elephant Bush flowers turn into small seed sacs after being pollinated. These seed sacs contain small seeds that can be used for propagation purposes.
What are the problems with elephant bush plants?
The Elephant Bush plant may face some common problems that are faced by other succulent plants. These include insect attacks such as spider mites, mealy bugs, and ants. They also include some care-related problems such as overwatering, underwatering, and root rotting. Among these problems, there are also some pests and fungi. There are separate methods to treat these problems. For insects, you can try washing, and using insecticides, and for pests, you can use pesticides. For the fungus, using fungicides is advised. Meanwhile, the problems related to caring can only be resolved by properly taking care of your plant. You will have to provide it light, proper watering, and proper fertilization.
When is the best time to replant elephant bush?
Mostly it can stay in the same pot for over a year. The best time to replant this is the spring season. First, you need to prepare a bigger pot for repotting and then take the plant from its pot and shift it into the other with care, you need to provide it water after potting so that its roots adjust easily in the new soil.
Can elephant bushes grow inside?
It can be grown inside but you need to place it near a window towards east side.
What is the best way to understand the light and temperature requirements of the elephant bush?
The best way to understand the light and temperature requirements of the elephant bush, all you need to do is to look at the conditions in its natural habitat in South Africa. It’s an environment that’s often flooded in natural light and soaked in high levels of humidity.
How do I grow elephant bush?
You can grow it in a container or pot as a houseplant or you can grow it outdoors in a hanging basket or in the garden.
What to put in potting mix for elephant bush?
However, you should add some pumice or poultry pit to the mix to improve aeration. If you don’t have that, then adding some regular sand, about one-third portion, to the potting mix will give you the ideal mix similar to the natural habitat of the elephant bush.
Why is the elephant bush so popular?
The elephant bush, on the other hand, needs support as it tends to droop and can’t support its meaty leaves. Those same meaty leaves are the reason it’s so popular in South African cuisine. Thanks to its sour flavor, you can add it to stews, salads, and soups.
What is the best zone for elephant bush?
This hardy succulent can handle any soil, weather conditions, and temperature you grow it in. It has USDA hardiness zones between 9 and 11. This means it favors warm weather and plenty of light.
How to tell if an elephant bush is a succulent?
However even though they look alike in many ways, you can tell the classic jade by the way it grows upright without the need for support. The elephant bush, on the other hand, needs support as it tends to droop and can’t support its meaty leaves.
Which elephant bush has the largest leaves?
Along with the red stems, the plant has a high ornamental value. Limpopo: This species has large leaves that absorb the pollutants in the air. It can be hard to maintain and requires regular pruning to keep it under control. Variegata: Literally stands out among other elephant bush species thanks to its upright stalk.
How often should I water elephant bushes?
In the summer months, I water my Elephant Bush as often as every 7-10 days, sometimes more during a heatwave, giving the plant a good drink. I cut back on watering to about 10-14 days when the weather cools down. If you live in a humid location, you won’t need to water as much.
What is an Elelphant Bush Minima?
The Elelphant Bush Minima or Lilliput is very tiny. The leaves are very shiny and stems are very similar to the regular Portulacaria Afra. It’s a recent discovery or propagation in California. This is a recent addition to our collection.
What kind of soil should I use for a Portulacaria afra plant?
Just like with other succulent plants, Portulacaria Afra ‘Elephant Bush’ needs a well draining soil. I have been using a simple concoction that has worked well for my plants. I like to use a cactus potting mix combined with perlite for more drainage. I do not use exact measurements but eyeball it to about 2:1 solution of cactus mix and perlite. Others recommend using a sandy soil. This can be achieved by mixing cactus mix or potting soil with coarse sand (about 2:1 ratio).
What is a variegated elephant bush?
Portulacaria Afra ‘Variegata’-Variegated Elephant Bush. There are quite a few types of Portulacaria Afras. The most common one available in cultivation is Portulacaria Afra ‘Variegata’ – also known as Variegated Elephant Bush or Rainbow Bush. These have similar qualities and features as Portulacaria Afra but the leaves take on an attractive hue ...
What is the difference between elephant bush and portulacaria?
The Mammoth Elephant Bush has large leaves almost 2 times the size of the regular Portulacaria Afra. The leaves when old are not too shiny compared to the newly sprouted leaves. The stems are very similar to the regular Elephant Bush. This is a recent addition to our collection. See the 5 kinds of leaves side-by-side below.
How to keep a plant from getting sunburned?
If kept outdoors, place in a bright sunny location. 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. Slowly increase the amount of sunlight it receives until it is fully acclimated to the sun. Keep in mind that even when the plant is already acclimated to full sun, it can still get sunburned during a heatwave or intense heat.
Is Portulacaria Afra an easy succulent?
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. A mistaken identity led me to this awesome plant, and it has become one of my all-time favorites ever since.
