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Welcome to our plant search tool. This database contains many of the thousands of plants that we carry. There are some notable exceptions. Hundreds of new perennials come out every year and Make It Green has been a leader in making them available to you. Eventually the recent introductions will make it to our plant search tool but every year there will be a lag between our in-store plant selection and this search tool. Unfortunately this search tool can't cover everything that we will carry this year. We also carry over 100 varieties of rare and unusual evergreens and over 100 varieties of hard-to-find shrubs many of which are not in the plant search. Click on the Plant List button for a list of nearly all the woody plants (trees, shrubs and evergreens) that we have ordered or already have in stock for this coming year.
* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details
Height: 10 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Dwarf Jade Plant, Elephant Bush, Porkbush
Description:
An upright plant with interesting reddish-brown stems covered in small succulent green leaves; grows large in frost free areas; popular use in bonsai; very drought tolerant and great for rock gardens or containers
Ornamental Features
Elephant Food is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its ornamental upright and spreading habit of growth. It features dainty lavender flowers at the ends of the branches in early summer. Its attractive small succulent round leaves remain green in colour throughout the season. The brick red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.
Landscape Attributes
Elephant Food is a multi-stemmed annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and can be pruned at anytime. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Insects
Elephant Food is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Elephant Food will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this slow-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.
Elephant Food is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details
