Portulacaria afraf.variegata
Portulacaria afraJacq .
Rainbow Bush , Elephant Bush , Elephant ’s intellectual nourishment
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Portulacaria afra’Variegata '
Family : PortulacaceaeSubfamily : PortulacarioideaeGenus : Portulacaria
The formal name " variegata(pronounced " var - ee - GAY - tuh " ) means " variegate ; bear a pattern of different colors or marks . "
Portulacaria afrais native toSouth Africa , Eswatini , andMozambique . Portulacaria afraf.variegatais a variegate form ofPortulacaria afraselected in cultivation .
Portulacaria afraf.variegatais a much - pronged succulent shrub with attractive , reddish - brown stems and politic , lustrous unripened leaf with pick - colour margins . It can produce up to 10 feet ( 3 m ) tall . The branch become interwoven as the plant ages . The leaves are thickset , fleshy , generally obovate , mensurate up to 1 in ( 2.5 cm ) in length and 0.6 inches ( 1.5 atomic number 96 ) in width .
The efflorescence are little , lead - shaped , lavender - pink , and appear in clusters in late spring and early summer .
Light : This industrial plant require at least 6 hour of verbatim sunlight daily but can bear partial nicety . If grown indoors , place it in a sunny window .
Soil : Well - drain soil is very important for a respectable works . While many growersmake their own soil mix , commercial-grade soil for succulent with extra perlite or another sand will also work on alright .
Hardiness : Portulacaria afraf.variegatathrives in lovesome , sunny climates and can abide loose frost . It grows best inUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones9b to 11b , with average minimal winter temperatures order from 25 ° F to 50 ° F ( -3.9 ° C to 10 ° C ) .
Watering : In spring and fall , waterthoroughly and wait until the top of the territory dries out before lachrymation again . Water less during winter when development slow down down importantly . During the summer , when it is usually abeyant , water system the plant only enough to keep the leave from shriveling .
Fertilizing : Portulacaria afraf.variegatais a slow - growing plant that does not ask much feeding . However , it will gain from a modest amount of organic fertilizer during the grow season .
Repotting : It is beneficial to repot this plant every 2 to 3 year or when it becomes top - heavy , even though it does not take care being base - bound . Repotting is commend during summer .
Propagation : Portulacaria afraf.variegatais propagated by taking radical cutting during the arise time of year .
Portulacaria afraf.variegatais a non - toxic plant with eatable leave-taking rich in vitamin C and a pleasant glowering taste .
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