elephant bush
Portulacaria afra Jacq.
Elephant bush, also called spekboom, can form a substantial evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching two to five metres. Its compact leaves and branching habit also make it familiar as a bonsai subject. In its South African habitat, it is woven into the feeding and regeneration patterns of larger animals. SANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
Botanical name
Kew accepts Portulacaria afra Jacq. in Didiereaceae. The catalog’s parenthesised L. is an authorship discrepancy; Kew links the same taxon to Crassula portulacaria L. Kew POWO: Portulacaria afra
Recognizing the plant
Small, rounded, succulent leaves contrast with red young stems. When flowering is abundant, masses of tiny pink, star-shaped flowers cover the branches. The plant can spread vegetatively through branches at ground level, and cut stems readily form roots, a feature used in propagation. SANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
Bloom window
South Africa
SANBI reports flowers from late winter into spring, while noting that flowering in cultivation can be erratic. SANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
Native range
Kew records native populations in northwestern Kenya and from southern Mozambique into South Africa, including Eswatini. SANBI describes warm rocky slopes, thicket, bushveld and dry river valleys in the southern part of this range. Kew POWO: Portulacaria afraSANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
Ecological relationships
At Addo, elephants browse from above, leaving lower branches able to spread and regenerate. SANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
The flowers provide nectar for numerous insects. SANBI PlantZAfrica: Portulacaria afra
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.