Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem'

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

It’s common for Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' to go dormant in the summertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' is native to Southern Africa.

Yes, you may see your Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' will branch off as it grows. To encourage branching, pinch off the newest growth at the tip and the stem will branch off into two.

USDA Hardiness Zone
Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem' can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Portulacaria afra 'Red Stem'. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!