Elephant bush
Portulacaria afra
Also called Dwarf jade and Spekboom
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiSold as a dwarf jade and it is not one. The leaves are smaller and the stems red — and unlike a jade, this one is safe around pets.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 12 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Bright, some direct sun
- Feed
- Every 60 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 1.5 m tall · 1 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- South Africa
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Small round leaves come away green and whole along a whole branch at once, rather than yellowing first.Leaf drop from cold or wet · disorder