Portulacaria Afra

Often confused for jade, Portulacaria afra is an evergreen shrub from South Africa. In its native habitat it can reach 8-15 feet tall and 4 feet indoors. It’s recognized by its deep red stems and small round green leaves. Some varieties have variegations of cream, yellow and light green. Considered a succulent, this is an easy care plant and also excels at cleaning carbon from the air.

AKA: Mini Jade, Dwarf Jade, Elephant Bush, Elephant Food, Porkbush

Light: Full to medium light like a south or west window. It needs 5-6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Watering: Water as you would a succulent. Allow to dry before watering. Water slowly and evenly; discard excess to avoid root rot.

Humidity: Average home humidity

Toxicity: Non-toxic to cats, dogs and humans. This plant is edible.

Potting Mix: Well draining like a cactus mix.

Additional Care: Popular as a bonsai. Use fast draining soil. Leaf drop can occur with over (soft, mushy and almost transparent leaves) and under (flat, shriveled leaves) watering. Sudden changes in location, temperature, light, humidity, etc. can also cause leaf drop. This is a normal response and needs time to adjust as long as its basic needs are being met.