Portulacaria afra –Dwarf Jade

Portulacaria afra – Dwarf Jade, 
the Elephant's Food or 
Spekboom "fat pork tree" in Afrikaans


Easy care succulent from South Africa.
Can easily be grown as a houseplant with adequate bright light. Drought tolerant. Chronic over watering can kill the plant. Can go for several years without repotting. But do let the soil dry out. Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season. Prune by pinching or cutting above a pair of pads.




Forest planting




"artistic pot plants"










limber tapering branches 




spekboom leaves have a 
slightly sour taste and are an 
excellent addition to salads!



succulent with a tree form





tropical plant that can’t survive
outdoors in very cold climates




Will bud back readily wherever 
branches or even leaves have been removed.



mini-jade need a very
 quick draining bonsai soil 




Portulacaria afra, the Elephant's Food 
or Spekboom  "fat pork tree"




Always allow the soil to approach
 dryness before watering. 



Portulacaria afra is an excellent
bonsai for beginners  





Han-kengai



 In a feeding frenzy elephants
will strip off all the
leaves and smaller branches.






Portulacaria afra can safely go without 
water until the largest leaves start 
to show signs of wrinkling.




Dwarf Jade gives a clear sign when water needed,
 very helpful to bonsai beginners.






With time the trunk will develop 
 a coarse texture 



hardy in USDA zones 10-11



training in a semi- cascading style



Cuts should be flush rather than concave 
when removing branches






Mini-forest





Grown in a semi-cascading style


Trio



Exposed roots



 grand dames of the desert




The branches will naturally droop from the 
weight of the water stored in the leaves.




Spekboom has potential
 to soak up carbon



the Elephant's Food



Older branches will hang down or trail on the ground. 



During the winter rest, keep almost dry.






Some trees will form a corky bark



Cuttings are liable to rot when put in
 green and newly severed, they should
 be spread out for a few days to allow 
the wounds to dry.






P. afra will not tolerate
 some chemical sprays. 
Avoid petroleum-based chemicals.



To hold a tree in the palm of ones hand





Portulacaria afra



1 comment:

  1. Lourens- Savannah, GAWednesday, 16 May, 2012

    Thanks so much for the lovely Spekboom!

    ReplyDelete

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