FAMILY : Portulacaceae
ORIGIN : South Africa
SIZE : 8' if stalked, usually kept small
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS : full sun
WATER REQUIREMENTS : let dry before watering
MIN. TEMP. : low 30's
FLOWER : never been seen

Just about anyone can grow this plant. It is great for beginners as it requires very little care and can go some time without water. It is also a great bonsai subject. Almost every plant looks like it was worked on by a bonsai expert. It has the appearance of being an old plant when young and can develop a caliper really fast. Very easy to work with, the only thing needed is a little bit of trimming to make the top of the plant look like a tree canopy. Portulacaria afra is a relative of the the Jade plant (Crassula) and resembles a miniature version with smaller leaves. We have been growing Portulacarias for almost 30 years and we have never seen 1 flower but have heard that they do flower in their country of origin (South Africa). This succulent can get to be very big but most of the time it is kept small.