Plant of the Month June 2025: Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra)

It’s nearly summertime - a succulent’s favorite time of the year (and mine), when the weather is hot and sunshine is plentiful! So for June 2025, we’re highlighting one of my favorite succulents: Portulacaria afra, more commonly known as Elephant Bush or Spekboom. Portulacaria afra is a shrub-like plant that grows in stalks, usually with a reddish stem and small vibrant green leaves. This succulent is native to South Africa and Eswatini, often found growing in the dryer parts of the Southern Cape. One common namesake for Portulacaria afra comes from its prominent role in elephant diets, hence the name ‘elephant bush’. It’s often used as a component in salads and soups in South Africa. In Afrikaans, elephant bush is referred to as Spekboom and directly translates to ‘bacon tree’, which is why you will sometimes hear people refer to this succulent as ‘porkbush’ as well. Another name for elephant bush is ‘dwarf jade’, due to its resemblance to the jade plant (Crassula ovata). Both elephant bush and jade plants have thick and fleshy leaves that grow along woody stems, however elephant bush leaves tend to be smaller, thinner, and more oval in shape. Jade plants are also mildly poisonous and cannot be consumed unlike elephant bush. If you like the aesthetics of jade plants but worry about your pets accidentally eating them, elephant bush is a great, safe alternative. Not only is elephant bush not toxic, it’s been used in some cases as treatment for skin conditions in rural areas with less accessibility to modern medicine. The leaves can be used to make a topical paste, powder or sap for rashes and burns.

Elephant bush is a low maintenance plant that’s great for bonsai cultivation and propagating. These succulents already grow like small trees, with stems that grow tall like branches. As these succulent branches grow longer and heavier, they will need to be trimmed or they will break off. But no worries if the branches snap, just take the broken off piece and propagate it in the soil as a cutting! If you need a reminder on how to propagate cuttings, check out our propagation guide. To provide the best care for elephant bush, make sure to give it plenty of sun and only water when the soil is fully dry.

Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra) needs the following care:

Light ☀️ Full Sun

Water 💧 Only when soil is completely dry. Do not overwater

Grow 🌱 This is not a cold hardy plant. For best results avoid temperatures below 60 F.