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Portulacaria Afra Mediopicta 12cm H20cm

Portulacaria Afra Mediopicta 12cm H20cm

£13.00 GBP
£13.00 GBP
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Pot Size

Meet the ‘Mediopicta’—the creamy desert bonsai. With her brilliant magenta stems and fleshy green leaves featuring a striking cream stripe down the absolute center, she is a vibrant succulent sculpture. Tough, colourful, and undeniably edgy, she’s here to bring major vertical style and zero-drama grit to your sunniest window.

  • The Formal Name: Portulacaria afra 'Mediopicta'
  • The Nickname: Variegated Elephant Bush / Rainbow Bush
  • Roots: A spectacular highly-coloured selection derived from the rugged succulent shrubs of South Africa.
  • Natural Vibe: Sun-scorched, rocky plains where she handles intense light, dry air, and severe droughts like a champion.

Care Guide

  • Care Guide:
  • Sunlight: She is a sun-worshipper! She requires bright, direct sunlight to maintain those hot-pink stems and cream leaf stripes.
  • Best Room: A south-facing windowsill, a sunny conservatory shelf, or a bright porch setup.
  • Snacks: A highly diluted cactus and succulent fertiliser once a month during spring and summer only.
  • Tropical Feels: Despises humidity. She demands dry ambient air and plenty of ventilation to prevent stem rot.
  • Cosy Factor: Loves heat (18–30°C). Keep her above 10°C in winter and protect her completely from freezing frosts.
  • Thirst: Strict drought-tolerant rules apply. Let the soil dry out 100% before giving her a deep soak. Keep dry in winter.
  • Safety First: Pet-Friendly! Non-toxic and completely safe for all your household companions.
  • The Bedding: An extremely gritty, sharp-draining mix—mostly cactus compost blended with perlite, pumice, or chicken grit.
  • Family Tree: Incredibly easy to propagate—just snap off a stem cutting, let it callous for 3 days, and press it into soil.
  • Space Needs: Can be pruned into a tidy, miniature tree-like bonsai or allowed to spill outward in a container.
  • Speed: A steady grower that responds to intense summer light with a flush of vibrant, colorful new growth.
  • Uninvited Guests: Watch for mealybugs nesting like tiny cotton balls within the tight junctions of her leaves.
  • Moving Day: She loves a snug squeeze; only repot every 3 years in a clay container to refresh the minerals.
  • Haircut: Prune her branches regularly to train her silhouette and encourage thick, woody, structural trunk growth.
  • Fresh Air: A desert warrior that actively absorbs high amounts of carbon dioxide to clean your indoor air.
  • Plant Lore: Known as the "Elephant Bush" because the wild species is a primary food source for elephants on the African savannah.
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