March Library Plant

 

Clermont Garden Club member, Gwen Carter, shared an Elephant Bush Plant (Portulacaria afra) with Cooper Memorial Library for the month of March. Pictured with Gwen is Student Library Assistant, Kierston Bradley, on the left.
The Elephant bush is a favorite food of elephants in South Africa. You can grow outdoors if you live in a warm climate that occasionally dips to no lower than 30 degrees Fahrenheit and can be grown indoors.

.The Elephant bush resembles a dwarf Jade plant. It is a slow grower and has a somewhat sprawling/cascading habit. Like most succulents, elephant bush thrives on neglect. Plant it in full sun in sandy soil so it dries quickly, and the roots do not rot. If you are growing it in a pot, make sure the container has a drainage hole at the bottom, so water drains out. If you have a saucer below the pot, empty the saucer after watering to keep the plant from standing in water. Use an unglazed pot with commercial cactus mix or make your own by combining half potting soil with sand and vermiculite. Choose a location within direct sunlight when growing Elephant bush indoors. Overly bright sunlight can char leaves and cause them to drop off the plant.

Clermont Garden Club shares a plant with Cooper Memorial Library each month to promote horticulture awareness, civic beautification, and community outreach.

Clermont Garden Club members meet every third Wednesday of the month, except scheduled field trips, holiday luncheon, and end of the year luncheon, at the clubhouse located at 849 West Avenue, Clermont, Florida 34711. Meetings begin at 10:00 A.M. New members and guests are warmly welcome. Clermont Garden Club is a 501©3 nonprofit organization.