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Unusual plant , particularly succulent metal money , have always been targets for plant life hunters . If the plant life has an unusual name as well , their place in appeal is all but guaranteed !
There ’s one works that has both an rare visual aspect and a very interesting name – the Elephant food plant life ! It ’s the favorite solid food of elephants and the favored plant of many growers .
The pear-shaped and shining unripened leaves perfectly combine with reddish stems . If we total the fact that the plant has a bushy growth habit , there ’s no need to mention what an astonishing summation it will make to your apartment .
The Elephant bush is simple to maintain indoors , and in this clause I ’ll show you all the plant life ’s requirements and some upshot you may encounter .
Let ’s first cover some basics :
Photo from:@echeveria_adam
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Elephant Food Plant Care
The most common advice on succulents is that they will be healthy if produce in a well - draining growing medium and exposed to bright luminance .
However , beginners should take all other plant requirement , such astemperature , fertilization , repotting , and more . Stay tune up to find mountain of tips and tricks on how to keep your Elephant bush well-chosen and healthy .
Let ’s get set off !
Photo from:@echeveria_adam
Light Requirements
The good way to maintain your Elephant bush and encourage new growth is by keeping it inbright light .
A spot near a window with southern exposure is an splendid location for the Elephant food plant . If you give it a lot of bright light , you may encourage it to display a more cherry-red chromaticity .
A usual way ofstressing succulentsin order to encourage them to expose more scarlet coloring is byexposing them to direct sunlight .
However , just like all other houseplant , the Elephant nutrient plant can suffer from sunburns . So , if you notice any changes in your plant such asyellowing and browning , move it to a spot with bright indirect lighting .
Water
There ’s one rule when it come to the Elephant bush plant , do not overwater it ! regrettably , this is way harder to carry through than growers mean .
Research on the drought tolerance of the Portulacaria afra works was acquit in 1987 ( 1 ) , and theplant pull round without pee for 4 months!This is one of the reason the Dwarf fornicatress became a plebeian houseplant .
You only take to water your Elephant food works when the arise substrate is completely dry .
This will occur more during the growing time of year , i.e. , spring and summer because the soil misplace urine faster due to warmer temperature .
If unsure about moisture level in the dirt , you’re able to hold back until the leaves start shriveling a little routine . Do n’t occupy , your Elephant bush wo n’t expire and will be back on data track as soon as you irrigate it .
Humidity And Temperature Requirements
Another amazing thing about the Dwarf jade is thatit does n’t need high humidity to thrive . The ideal humidness for this Portulacaria plant is around 50 % , but slightly lower horizontal surface wo n’t damage it .
If your household is n’t humid and the level of humidity is about 30 % , you canmist the plant or get a humidifier .
The humidity tier around my Elephant bush plant is about 40 % and it seems like my dark-green chum loves it .
The Purslane tree works flourishes intemperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit .
If you hold out in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11 , your Dwarf loose woman can be successfully grown outdoors . For all other zones , I extremely advocate indoor polish .
I experimented with the temperature around my Elephant solid food industrial plant by lower it to 50 degrees . It start displaying a more cherry-red hue , which was further proof that stale is another way to stress a succulent .
The problem was that after two months , the leaf of my Dwarf jade get paling , so I had to kick upstairs the temperature .
If you are a beginner grower , wait until your Elephant food plant adapts well and you get to know your plant better before accentuate it .
Best Soil Type
Since the Dwarf jade is susceptible to overwatering , you need tokeep it in a free - draining growing substratum .
territory porosityis another important factor that put up to the tidy root development of this plant life . ( 2 )
You have two options , make the potting mix yourself or buy ready made soil designed for succulent / cactus works .
If this is your first succulent , it would be best to go with store - bought substrate .
On the other hand , if you wish a challenge and want to try pass water your own substrate , here ’s how I do it . I mix2 parts perlite with 1 part standard potting stain . you’re able to add other ingredients , such ascoarse Baroness Dudevant , but my Elephant bush thrives in the two standard element .
Here ’s a great TV on how to make potting grunge for succulents , as well as some amendment you’re able to use :
Fertilizer
One thing is for certain , the Elephant food plant is n’t a heavy feeder . you could harm the plant more by adding a set of fertilizer than not using it at all .
I sum plant food for succulents with an NPK proportion of 1:1:2 monthly , but only during the growing time of year . The essential thing regarding fertilizers for the Elephant bush is using those with grim nitrogen concentrations .
Salt buildup in the grow substrate will harm the roots , soskip fertilization during the winter calendar month . Your Elephant bush wo n’t utilize nutrients since it is n’t get actively .
Repotting
There ’s one more thing that makes the Dwarf jade plant perfect – repotting ! It will grow perfectly if yourepot it every two year or hold off a little longer if it is n’t rootbound .
The easiest mode to tell if the Portulacaria afra is rootbound is bychecking the drainage hole . If the roots are dig through these holes , it ’s fourth dimension for repotting !
Here ’s how to do it :
1 . machinate afree - drain raise substrateaccording to the recipe described above , and get a container one size expectant than the previous one .
2 . Gently polish off your Dwarf jade from its original sess andloosen the soil around the roots .
3 . scrutinise the root system intimately ; if any of the Elephant bush radical look discolored or deform , remove them with a sanitised pair of scissors grip .
4 . Fill the new container midway with the growing substratum and put your Dwarf jade in it .
5 . Add more substrate and pack the soil around the al-Qaeda of the plant .
6.Water your repotted buddy welland enjoy catch it flourish !
Pruning
It ’s very important to resolve how you will rationalize your Elephant food plant . you may prune it intothe form of a bonsaior prune it tocontrol the size and remove damage parts .
If you do n’t desire to produce your Dwarf jade as a bonsai , only prune when necessary . This entail that only discolored or damaged foliage should be removed .
On the other manus , pruning to get a bonsai plant takes a good deal of time , patience , and skill , but it ’s definitely worth it ! There ’s nothing prettier than a bonsai Elephant solid food industrial plant .
If you have an older , shaggy Dwarf jade , here are the steps for how to turn it into a bonsai :
1 . fix a sharp pair of shear anddip them in rub alcohol to prevent foul yourElephant bush .
2 . Now comes the trim part . You ’ll need to cut back a lot , just do n’t be frightened you ’ll harm your Dwarf nag as it will shortly start producing fresh growth . Trim all out branchesuntil only the independent proboscis and a few branches rest .
3 . You shouldremove the top of your Elephant food plant life depending on how tall you want it to be . After several calendar month you ’ll notice a lot of new growth . Of course , you need to ensurecorrect growing conditionsin the meantime .
4 . The next measure isdefoliation . Remove each and every leaf on your Dwarf fornicatress using your hands . Again , new growth will come along after a few calendar month and then you ’ll need torepot your bonsai .
5 . Take your Dwarf jade from the pot and remove the grunge around the roots . you could also cut off any long , thickheaded roots .
6 . Put the tree in the new container , wrap the branch using aluminum wire , and place them into the hope look .
As your Dwarf fornicatress expose new growth , rationalise to maintain the desired shape .
Here ’s a video showing how to trim mature Elephant bush into a bonsai :
Propagation
As well as being easy to maintain , the Elephant solid food flora remove toxins from the skirt zephyr due to its Crassulacean acid metamorphosis ( 2 ) , and plays an important office in herbal medicine ( 3 ) .
All these benefits make us desire more of these awe-inspiring plants . Luckily , you may get a new Elephant bush plant bypropagating it through stem cuttings . You ’ll want a pair of scissors hold , bleach for sterilization , a greenhouse pot , and a unfermented potting mix .
Here are the steps :
1 . Selecta tidy 5 - inch stemon your Dwarf jade andcut it below the leaf node .
2 . Put the cut on a paper towel andleave it for a few days to rise a callosity .
3 . Fill the nursery pot with pot mixture and put the Dwarf jade cutting in it .
4.Mist the soiland move it to an area withbright indirect sunlight . Mist whenever the soil feel teetotal and repot the Dwarf nag slue when its etymon reach a few column inch long .
Here ’s a picture on Spekboom extension through stem cuttings :
Common Problems With The Elephant Food Plant
Although the Elephant food plant is easy to maintain , it ’s not completely trouble - complimentary . Most problems are make by common houseplant pest and diseases .
Pests
Mealybugs , aphids , and spider mitesare common encroacher of works aggregation . They have sex munching on the leaf of Dwarf jade plants .
Do n’t utilize any chemical pesticides if you spot pestilence . Neem oil and insecticidal easy lay will do the job perfectly and wo n’t harm your Elephant President Bush .
Remember that pests are less likely to invade our houseplants with right upkeep .
Diseases
When it number to the Portulacaria afra , you only call for to interest about tooth root rot disease . This species is very tolerant to drought , which means it ’s super easy to overwater it .
Soggy grease will attract pathogensthat will exhaust the etymon of your Dwarf slut in a matter of workweek .
Your Elephant food plant will expose wilting , yellowing , and toasting , which are the most commonsymptoms of root rot .
You ’ll need to repot your Dwarf jade , obviate all pathological parts , and give fungicide to the remaining sound roots .
Wrapping Up
Because of the lovely , round leaves on reddish stems , the Elephant food industrial plant deserves a spot in every plant collection .
It ’s gross for beginners and those who want to get a unique bonsai .
Just play along our tips and your Dwarf jade will be well-chosen and healthy for a foresighted clip !
Until next fourth dimension !
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