Nelly

Portulacaria afra

Elephant Bush, Crassula afra, Spekboom, Dwarf Jade plant

• Nelly likes...
  • 
    Light watering

    Give her a drink when her soil is completely dry throughout summer and hardly anything at all over winter. Water well, let her drain and then let her dry.

  • 
    Bright light

    From full sun to partial shade, Nelly will be happy in anything except a dark, shady spot.

  • 
    Feeding

    To support her growth, give Nelly some plant food once a month when you water her throughout summer.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Portulacaria afra

  Nickname

  Elephant Bush, Crassula afra, Spekboom, Dwarf Jade Plant

  Plant type

  Succulent, Indoor

  Plant height (including pot)

  30-40cm 

  Pet/baby safe

  Yes

  Nursery pot size

  14cm

• About Portulacaria afra

  One of the most easy-care houseplants around, Portulacaria thrive on neglect. They’re used to growing in the dry, rocky landscape of the Karoo and Cape of South Africa, where droughts are frequent and seasonal rains give them the water they need to see them through. They’ve cleverly adapted to storing water in their stems and leaves to keep them going through these dry spells. If anything is likely to kill your plant, it’s kindness, and by that we mean overwatering. Depending on how bright a spot you put your plant in, you’re likely to only need to water it well about once a month from late spring to autumn, and then you can pretty much be hands-off over winter. 

  It’s slow growing and can often take on an interesting shape, sending out stems in multiple directions and so taking on an unusual sculptural quality. Its stems are often flushed red when they’re young but go greyish as they mature. It can produce small clusters of flowers at the tips of its stems in summer. If and when it comes time to repot it – only every three years or so – be sure to use a really free-draining desert potting mix.

  Did you know?

  Portulacaria afra is nicknamed the Elephant Bush because it is often nibbled on by African elephants and black rhinoceros in the bush of Southern Africa.