Elephant Bush
4.6 out of 5 (194 experiences)
Survivor
Fast grower
Also known as
Elephant Food, Dwarf Jade Plant, Porkbush, Spekboom and Little Jade
Taxonomy
Portulacaria afra
Portulacaria
Didiereaceae
Caryophyllales
How to care for Elephant Bush
How often to water your Elephant Bush
every 12
Elephant Bush needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
12
Finding light for Elephant Bush in your home
a window
Elephant Bush love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Elephant Bush does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Elephant Bush in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Elephant Bush
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Elephant Bush after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Need help. The app says elephant bush but someone said it’s not….? #ElephantBush #Jade
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What is wrong with my elephant bush? #ElephantBush I am not sure what to do about this plant. I was given a bunch of cuttings like a month ago, and the pot with this long branch. I changed the soil because it was all compacted, and made a mix with lots of pearlite. I'm not sure if I should cut the long branch and make cuttings and stick into the soil or let it be? The plant looks so sad. I don't even know if cuttings are rooting?
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Elephant Bush guidance needed please 😊 I picked up this cutie last week from Costco. She’s currently in a glazed ceramic pot with no drainage and has a layer of largely stuck together tiny stones on top of the soil. I’m not certain on the type of soil, maybe something containing peat or moss? I understand Elephant bushes like good drainage so this doesn’t seem like a good setup for her. But I’m hesitant to repot or fuss too much when she’s so new and adapting to a new home. She’s currently under a grow light for 11 hours/day. Any guidance is appreciated!
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Any tips for a first timer like me?
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Yo, my plant has been losing its leaves ever since I brought it home. I’ve been watering it every day and I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong. How do I save my plant gang? #ElephantBush
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hey all, is something wrong with my elephant bush’s leaves ? last night the right one was having some discoloration and this is what i saw during my morning look over. any advice is appreciated!
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What kind of pot should I put her in and how much water should I be putting in #ElephantBush
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Received this plant before Christmas and it’s been dropping leaves every day since. Any advice? #ElephantBush
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Had this outside but covered under a covered porch during the freeze but it looks rough now and all the buds are falling off. It’s not mushy or anything but I’m hoping I didn’t kill it. Any advice? #ElephantBush
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Just got this nursery jade plant and one other two days ago. little hera here just got moved to her now permanent (at least until she gets bigger) pot, but when i put her near the window i noticed just how wrinkled she was. i don’t have the best soil for her right now (regular instead of succulent/cactus) but i put some rocks in there to try and help with drainage. for now, im gonna keep an eye on her leaves then go from there.
Care Summary for Elephant Bush
Elephant Bush
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 12 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Survivor 123
Fast grower 89
Easy to propagate 42
Browns easily 18
Blooms easily 17
Large, lush leaves 10
Pest magnet 5
11/23/2022
I love my little Elephant Bush! For someone who wants to brighten up their space but has a very poor record keeping plants alive, this plant is perfect! I’ve had my bush since it was only a couple inches tall and within a month or so both of the sprigs have nearly tripled in height
Survivor
Fast grower
03/15/2022
As a succulent, it doesn’t require much water, making it perfect for the summertime on my patio table here in Phoenix AZ! Puffy little jade shaped leaves. Love how this little fella trails down over the pot!!
Survivor
02/11/2022
It takes a while for leaves to grow but when they do they tell you exactly when it needs water :)
Survivor
02/03/2022
Needs more water than a traditional succulent. Don’t let it fool you!!
Browns easily
01/30/2022
low maintenance:)
Survivor
01/27/2022
Very delicate. if you don’t maintain hood conditions they will drop all their leaves :(
Pest magnet
01/10/2022
Oops. Forgot about this guy in the window and did usual watering but it doesn’t seem to like the spot it was in.
11/11/2021
Can be a little finicky but a very cute plant
Fast grower
11/03/2021
Always looks full and healthy
Survivor
10/28/2021
The need a lot of water and for this plant I notice it’s better to put water in a bowl and place the plant in and let it absorb what it needs
Fast grower
Survivor
10/18/2021
This guy almost died after being left out in a hale storm this summer. He has doubled in size since July. 🤯
Fast grower
Survivor
10/15/2021
Easily over watered.
10/08/2021
I’m hoping to try bonsai with babies from this plant. It never dies
Survivor
10/06/2021
Super cute and havent run into problems yet. Will let you know if it needs water when its leaves shrivel a bit.
Fast grower
10/06/2021
It got sick I think a couple months ago and it was pretty easy to fix. It’s a pretty harsh plant
Survivor
10/05/2021
Super cute and small. Needs a bit more sunlight than most succulents but still very manageable!
Easy to propagate
Survivor
Browns easily
10/03/2021
It’s a very cute succulent and it flourishes into a beautiful bush, hence its name. It also makes a great filler for succulent arrangements. I love that this guy is sooo easy to propagate!
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
Survivor
10/02/2021
This is a good luck plant. They call it a money tree in Chinese feng sue
Survivor
Large, lush leaves
08/22/2021
I don’t water it often and it seems to do alright so far.
Survivor
08/07/2021
So cute, lots of growth and doesn’t need watering a lot, My personal favourite
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