Elephant Food: More Than a Potted Plant

Elephant food is a succulent that’s a favorite of — you guessed it! — elephants. It’s usually grown in a container as a houseplant or patio plant, but it can also be grown as a landscape plant in the desert southwest. It’s uniquely good for the environment. Here’s how to grow and care for this South African native.

Elephant food (Portulacaria afra) is a succulent native to dry parts of South Africa, where it grows in large expanses. Many plants have fanciful common names, but elephant food really is a favorite food of elephants! (Ostriches, rhinos, cattle, goats, and tortoises are known to enjoy it, too.)

Elephant food is an attractive, informal plant that looks great in desert gardens all year round. It has small (½”), fleshy, bright green leaves which make an appealing contrast against reddish-brown stems.

It’s most commonly grown as a container plant and is rarely used as a landscape plant, and that’s too bad because it makes a great shrub or ground cover. I lived in Tucson for years before realizing they could be planted in the ground.

It is an extremely low-maintenance plant. Once established, it needs minimal irrigation. It doesn’t need fertilizer or pruning, and produces no litter.

Elephant food has a unique outstanding attribute — it’s considered a “carbon sponge” since it excels at absorbing carbon (CO₂) from the atmosphere. It’s one of the few plants that can sequester carbon day and night because it uses two (rather than one) photosynthesis pathways. An elephant food thicket is as effective at carbon fixing as a forest.

Here’s a picture of an elephant food thicket in South Africa in bloom.

Of course, I realize I’ll never grow enough elephant food to make a hill of beans of difference to the environment, but I still appreciate this about my unassuming patio plant.

Why I Like This Plant

• Attractive succulent adds architectural interest all year long
• Extremely low maintenance, needs little water, litter-free, non-toxic
• Versatile! Grow as a shrub, ground cover, potted plant (indoors or out), or bonsai
• Helps (if only a minuscule amount) to clean the air
• Easy to propagate

Things to Watch Out For

Elephants aren’t the only ones who enjoy elephant food. It’s also relished by javelinas. Javelinas bear no relation to elephants, but when they’ve trampled through your yard, you might think that a herd of elephants has visited. So plant it where javelinas can’t get at it.

Small mammals including rabbits sometimes have a nibble and birds will peck bits off, especially when they’re seeking moisture during drought. If this happens, don’t worry. If plants can withstand herds of grazing elephants, they probably won’t be harmed by a few thirsty birds.

Optimal Growing Conditions

If you’re thinking of adding an elephant food plant to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good.

Here are the key factors to keep in mind.

Temperature

Elephant food should be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 – 11. These plants love the heat and survive in the hottest areas. They are cold-hardy down to 25℉ but can sustain some cold damage when temperatures drop below freezing. You might want to cover or move onto a patio for protection during cold spells.

Sun Exposure

Elephant food looks its best in full or part sun but tolerates other exposures. Plants that get too much sun (i.e., reflected heat) turn yellow while those grown in full shade can get leggy.

Size and Growth Rate

Elephant food grows moderately fast. In Africa, plants form vast expanses of large plants (12′ by 12′) but desert landscape plants are likely to be much smaller, typically less than half this size. Plants can be kept any size and shape by pruning. If its size concerns you, look for one of the smaller hybrids.

Soil

Elephant food is not particular about soil and grows in any desert soil type from rocky to clay, as long as it’s well-draining.

If you grow one in a container, be sure it has good drainage and use specifically formulated cactus soil.

Other Location Considerations

Since it is non-toxic, has no thorns or irritating hairs, and is low-litter, it’s a plant you can place near a pool, sidewalk, or anywhere it might come in contact with people or pets.

When grown as a ground cover, it makes a good addition to berms and rock gardens, or to help control erosion on slopes.

Elephant food sends branches up, out, and down, so you can expect some to attractively cascade over the edges of containers, raised planters, hanging baskets, and low walls.

Elephant Food:
The Essentials

Common Name	Elephant food
Scientific Name	Portulacaria afra
Origin	South Africa
Plant Type	Succulent
USDA Zones	Zones 9 – 11
Cold Hardiness	To 25℉
Flower Color	Pink
Flower Season	Spring (rare)
Mature Size	6′ high x 6’ wide
Growth Rate	Moderate
Sun Tolerance	Full sun, part sun, shade
Water Needs	Low
Pests & Diseases	Root rot
Garden Friendly	No thorns, non-toxic
Wildlife	Attracts javelinas

How to Plant

Dig a hole as deep as and twice as wide as the nursery container. Carefully remove the plant from the container, place in the hole, and press the soil to remove any air pockets.

It’s generally recommended that you backfill with only native soil and not add any amendments. However, good drainage is critical. So if you know your soil is slow draining, amend with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.

When to Plant

The best time to plant succulents is in April or May. The warm soil temperatures of late spring encourage root development.

How to Care for Elephant Food

Whether you’ve recently planted a new elephant food plant or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.

How to Water

You’re probably used to giving a plant a good soaking immediately after transplanting, but that isn’t the best practice with desert succulents like elephant food.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum advises not to water succulents for one to two weeks after planting. Then use the following schedule as a guide.

Spring & Fall	Every 3-5 weeks
Summer	Every 2-4 weeks
Winter	Only if no winter rain

If you’re growing elephant food in a container, use this watering schedule as a guide.

Spring & Fall	Every 7-10 days
Summer	Every 5-7 days
Winter	Every 10-14 days

Avoid overwatering, which can cause root rot especially when grown in containers. When overwatered, potted plants are susceptible to scale and mealy bugs.

Should You Fertilize?

There is no need to fertilize elephant food that’s growing in the ground, they get all they need from the surrounding desert soil. But if you keep one in a pot, fertilize lightly a few times a year when it’s actively growing.

Pruning and Propagation

Elephant food doesn’t need pruning but you can selectively prune to maintain the size and shape you want. You can use the cuttings to create new plants.

Propagation couldn’t be easier. Simply cut off a piece and stick it in potting soil. Cuttings usually develop roots within 4 – 6 weeks.

Elephant Food Flowers When Stressed

Have you ever seen elephant food in bloom? Until a few years ago, I hadn’t. Many gardeners are shocked to learn that they even can bloom.

Elephant food is more likely to bloom when under stress such as drought or being pot-bound. So don’t be surprised if your plant doesn’t bloom, many cultivated plants never do! (Sometimes we give our desert plants more care than they need. 🙄)

Here’s a picture of elephant food blooming in the wild. Isn’t it beautiful?

Elephant Food Cultivars

There are many elephant food cultivars available. Here are a few of the most common ones you might come across.

Portulacaria afra ‘Variegata’ has cream and green variegated leaves which look quite striking against the red-brown stems. However, I’ve found them to be a little less vigorous than the straight species.

Portulacaria afra ‘Cork Bark’, as the name implies, has corky bark and is a top variety to train into a bonsai.

Portulacaria afra ‘Prostrate Form’ is known as dwarf elephant food. It grows 4 to 6 feet across but only 6 inches tall and makes an excellent ground cover.

Plant Lover Facts

Elephant food goes by many common names including elephant plant, elephant bush, small leaf jade, dwarf jade, pork bush, purslane tree, and spekboom. Spekboom means “bacon tree” in Afrikaans, which I find odd since it tastes sour and not a bit like bacon.

In its native South Africa, elephant food is considered a “miracle plant.” It’s edible and is added to soups, stews, and salads. It has many traditional medicinal uses. It’s used to treat sore throats, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. It can be applied topically to treat rashes, acne, insect bites, sunburn, and blisters.

Have you grown this plant?
Was it a “hit” or a “miss” in your garden?
Please share your experience in the comments below!

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Photo Credits

Derek Ramsey, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Spekboom Foundation of South Africa