How to Over-winter my Portulacaria afra (Elephant Bush)?

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by dleary, Nov 3, 2006.

  1. dleary

    dleary Member

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    Location:
    Cary, NC (USA)
    I have two Portulacaria afra plants that I bought very small and which have grown very well for me thus far. I bought them when I lived in a hot climate (Florida) and never had to bring them inside for the winter. Then I moved to North Carolina in the spring, and still it was nice weather for them. However, with the coming of the Autumn, it has become too cold for them outside. Nighttime lows can reach freezing (or below) here.

    So, I brought all my plants inside, and they're strategically placed near windows to get the best light they can, which isn't, to be honest, the best.

    My other plants seem to be doing o.k., but the Portulacaria afra plants are dropping leaves copiously every day. At this rate, they'll be bald by January.

    Does anyone out there have any suggestions? Is this normal? Should I just let them loose their leaves and hope for the best when I put them outside again next spring?

    They are both in nice-sized pots, also; I repotted them in the spring. - So I don't think its an issue with them being in too small containers.
     
  2. Amany

    Amany Member

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    Location:
    Detroit, MI
    Keep an eye on them to see if they are developing any new leaves. I haven't been aquainted with P. Afras for very long but I noticed that whenever their location is changed they drops a ton of leaves. But then new leaves grow in rather quickly.
     

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