Shipping Estimate
USA
- USA
- CAN
- USA
- CAN
Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 13 - Jul 18
Promo Codes Available:
For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15
Description
elephant plant succulent care Elephant Bush Succulent PlantBotanical Name: Portulacaria afra Common Names: Elephant Bush Dwarf Jade Porkbush Spekboom Mini Jade Plant The Portulacaria afra 'Elephant Bush' delights with its vibrant green, perfectly round succulent leaves that create a lush, tree like appearance while requiring virtually no care to thrive. This charming South African native features thick, glossy jade green leaves densely packed along sturdy brown stems, creating an adorable miniature tree
Botanical Name: Portulacaria afra
Common Names: Elephant Bush • Dwarf Jade • Porkbush • Spekboom • Mini Jade Plant
The Portulacaria afra 'Elephant Bush' delights with its vibrant green, perfectly round succulent leaves that create a lush, tree-like appearance while requiring virtually no care to thrive. This charming South African native features thick, glossy jade-green leaves densely packed along sturdy brown stems, creating an adorable miniature tree effect that brings year-round greenery and natural sculptural beauty to any indoor space with remarkable drought tolerance.
This exceptional drought-tolerant beauty combines vibrant green elegance with unmatched low-maintenance care, making it perfect for busy plant lovers, beginners, frequent travelers, or anyone seeking a resilient plant that thrives on neglect. Enjoy year-round lush green foliage that stores water efficiently while maintaining its charming tree-like form - all with complete confidence around your beloved pets and family members.
Complete Care Guide
Light Requirements ▼
- Bright, indirect light promotes healthy, vibrant green growth
- South or west-facing windows provide ideal growing conditions
- Tolerates direct sunlight and adapts to various light levels
- Some direct sun enhances the glossy green leaf color
- Extremely adaptable to lower light conditions indoors
Watering Instructions ▼
- Water deeply but infrequently - allow soil to dry completely
- Extremely drought-tolerant and thrives on neglect
- Can survive weeks without water once established
- Overwatering is the only real threat to this hardy succulent
- Water even less frequently in winter months
Humidity & Temperature ▼
- Low humidity: 30-50% - thrives in dry conditions
- Temperature range: 65-85°F (18-29°C) with excellent heat tolerance
- Tolerates dry indoor air exceptionally well
- No special humidity requirements needed
- Avoid temperatures below 50°F (10°C)
Potting & Fertilizing ▼
- Use well-draining cactus/succulent potting mix
- Ensure excellent drainage with pots that have drainage holes
- Feed sparingly - monthly during growing season only
- Prefers to be slightly root-bound for best growth
- Repot only when severely overcrowded, every 3-4 years
Propagation & Maintenance ▼
- Incredibly easy to propagate from stem or leaf cuttings
- Cuttings root quickly in dry soil or even just sitting on top
- Can be pruned and shaped like a bonsai tree
- Remove any dead or yellowing leaves as needed
- Fast-growing and extremely forgiving of mistakes
Styling Ideas for Your Elephant Bush
Bonsai Styling
Perfect for pruning and shaping into miniature trees
Succulent Gardens
Beautiful centerpiece for drought-tolerant collections
Bright Windowsills
Thrives in sunny spots where other plants struggle
Low-Water Displays
Perfect for busy lifestyles and frequent travelers
Shipping & Potting Information
Your plant ships in its current nursery pot and will need to be repotted into a decorative container of your choice. The beautiful ceramic pot shown in the product images is for styling inspiration only and is not included with your purchase. This allows you to select the perfect decorative pot that matches your home's unique style and décor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Elephant Bush different from Jade Plant?
While they look similar, Elephant Bush has smaller, rounder leaves and grows faster than traditional Jade plants. It's also more drought-tolerant and easier to care for, making it perfect for beginners who want the jade plant look with even less maintenance.
Can I really neglect this plant?
Yes! Elephant Bush is one of the most forgiving plants you can own. It actually prefers to be forgotten about and can survive weeks without water. The biggest mistake people make is overwatering - this plant thrives on neglect.
Can I shape it like a bonsai tree?
Absolutely! Elephant Bush is excellent for bonsai-style pruning and shaping. It responds well to trimming and can be trained into beautiful miniature tree forms. Regular pruning encourages bushier growth and maintains the desired shape.
Is this plant safe around pets and children?
Yes! Portulacaria afra is completely non-toxic to cats, dogs, and humans, making it a perfect worry-free choice for families who want to enjoy its vibrant green foliage and low-maintenance beauty safely throughout their home.
How fast does Elephant Bush grow?
Elephant Bush is a relatively fast-growing succulent that can develop into a substantial plant within a year or two with proper care. Its quick growth makes it very satisfying for beginners who want to see results relatively quickly.
Shipping Notes
- Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
- Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
- Delivery to the USA:
- Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
- If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
- We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
- Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
- To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
- Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
4.1 ★★★★★
Based on 633 reviews
Sort
Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Two knots, Not 3…
Size: Large (14 in), Style: 2 Knot Rope Bone
Been subscribed & saving on 3 knot version for years. My dogs gnaw through the center knot and they quickly unravel. This 2 knot version seems to last much longer.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Longest living toy ever!
Style: Variety Pack - Large (3-pack), Style: Variety Pack - Large (3-pack)
This review is 2 years in the making! Purchased over 2 years ago, all three are still in active play, still squeek, with no holes.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026
★★★★★ 5
My dog's favorite toy* (*see durability warnings*)
Style: Variety Pack - Large (3-pack)
This is a plush toy, so *if your dog is a destroyer of things, it'll destroy this toy easily/instantly* & if they're not destroyed right away, I'd definitely expect them to be destroyed eventually just given the type of toy it is- plus much of that depends on the way your dog plays. That said, this plush, multiple squeaker toy has held up really well for the amount of use it gets in our home. Because it contains 3 separate squeakers in it, these toys have been like heaven for my 3 year old, male, Toy Fox Terrier to play with- he freaks out when we squeeze more than 1 squeaker at the same time & I don't do all 3 at once bc I think his head might actually explode LoL 😋! Seriously, ever since he's grown out of puppy-hood, he's much less destructive with his toys now, so we are able to buy toys like these for him, have him go nuts freaking out on them & have them hold up pretty well/for a while before it's time for a replacement, yet since they're not very expensive, it's not terribly hard to replace them if needed (he's still using the last toy in the original 3 pack we got for him). It's great for fetching via a "flinging" motion (they're not heavy enough to actually throw) if you have a smaller dog who doesn't cover much distance too readily, but the best part of this toy is the elongated design of it, because it makes for a perfect "tug of war" type of playtime toy with my little buddy (tugging is a behavior which you may or may not want to encourage your dog to do depending on its disposition). Since my dog thankfully isn't really destructive & doesn't have issues releasing a toy from a tugging interaction anymore, these items have held up pretty well for a plush type toy, but again, if you own a dog known for destroying their toys, or anything else for that matter, these probably aren't going to work out well for you. Given they're pretty cheap to replace, for a throw ready, tug toy which has 3 different places for a dog to chomp on to make it squeak, they've turned out to be perfect for our smaller sized pup & have become a favorite toy of my little guy which he's always ready to play with, at any time, with anyone- he's got it ready to go a lot of the time when we get back home to him after being out. Again, you'll need to go with Kong or something similarly durable if your dog destroys things or is still a puppy who doesn't know better, but for an average amount of wear & tear they've held up really well while remaining at the top of my dog's favorite toy list. So recommended for sure, but just know if you've got a chewy character on your hands, despite all the fun they'd have with these, I'd get a more durable toy instead of this one as these plush toys, while good quality, will not hold up to prolonged abuse (as is the case with most plush toys sold). However, for an "average destruction" level dog, it seems well enough made to last a decent amount of time & they're a source of an enjoyable playtime for our dog & therefore for us as his owners as well! Definitely recommend for it's features, like 3 different squeakers, it's great design for a tugging style of play & it's overall good durability for a plush style toy. 👍
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2019
★★★★★ 5
Better than I expected!
Style: Variety Pack - Large (3-pack)
I have two pitbulls who can destroy any toy! My youngest one likes to chew on my fluffy slippers. She doesn't hurt them, just chews on the fur. I give her a lot of heck for this but she has an affinity for them. I decided to buy her a stuffed dog toy and she loved it! She proudly carried it with her everywhere and would throw it up in the air and catch it. She was as happy as she could be. The problem was that after a few days, my 5-year-old pittie wanted to get in on the action and they turned it into a tug of war. Five minutes later it was in pieces on the floor. I decided to see if there was such a thing as a cloth toy for aggressive chewers. I found these! They weren't that expensive, so I thought, "what the heck", I'll give them a try! They arrived the next day! I took two out of the pack and within two or three days they had killed the squeakers in both of them, and I was thankful! The squeaking was loud and they could not get enough of it. There were three squeakers in each toy! After the squeakers were gone, they seemed to lose interest. So I started doing tug of war with them. Pretty soon they were doing it with each other. I didn't expect them to last a day! However, it has been almost a month and they are still pretty much intact. I mean these dogs are for real and they pull as hard as they can and they still have not ripped them apart. And it's great exercise! There are a few small holes in them but they are not getting bigger. I guess that is how they got the squeakers out! Even the eyes on these toys are still there. I put the third one away for when these two are demolished, but I think I will order another pack of three. That will give me four all together! That should keep them busy for quite a while!
I just want everyone to know that I am pretty limited with my reviews. I don't bother unless I really have something to say, so you can totally believe what I am saying! I don't think you will be upset with this purchase, unless you don't like saliva soaked toys and/or your dog is prone to swallowing it's toys. It is very hard for me to imagine a dog swallowing one of these. From the top of their heads to the tip of their tails they are over a foot long!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2020
★★★★★ 4
Good quality. Decent price.
Style: Fox, Raccoon, Squirrel
The small size is perfect for my 13# dog, but I was somehow under the impression that one squeaker was in the head while the other was in the tail (and that might be the case for rhe larger size), but one us in the main body, with the other in the tail. The head is flat, and there's no way to push the sqeaker in the body up into the head.
Ordinarily, this wouldn't matter -- and my dog LOVES the one I gave him so far; he's squeaking up a storm! -- but I bought these toys specifically so I could fill the (presumably empty, but in reality not) body between head and tail with chopped up pool noodles so my paraplegic dog could take it into the water treadmill treatment he's starting in a couple weeks. I wanted something that would float and be largely waterproof (no fluff inside in case he drops it in the water), that he could hold in his mouth instead of wearing a muzzle.
I've rated these toys 4 stars because he does love them, they seem well made, and they're pretty affordable. I would buy them again, though not for the same purpose. (He hates rubber toys, so this was my last hope. Lol?)
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021