How to Repot an Elephant Bush

When is the best time to replant an elephant bush?

The method and materials listed below apply to all the Portulacarias, not just the variegated one.

Spring through summer. I like to wait until the temperatures have warmed & the days have gotten a bit longer. In more temperate climates, you can repot from late winter through early fall.

I repotted the 1 you see here at the beginning of April.

Avoid repotting your Elephant Bush in winter as it’s the time for plants to rest.

The Elephant Bush grows as both a houseplant and also outdoors. Because it's a succulent, make sure the mix you use is loose & well aerated. Succulents store water not only in their roots but also in their leaves & stems. Too much water = root rot.

As a Houseplant

If yours is a houseplant, using all a good quality succulent & cactus mix is just fine. I now  make my own mix but recommend any of the mixes listed right below if you can’t find 1 locally or don’t want to make your own.

A few online options for buying succulent & cactus mix:  Bonsai Jack (this 1 is very gritty; great for those prone to overwatering!),  Hoffman’s (this is more cost-effective if you have a lot of succulents but you might have to add pumice or perlite) , or  Superfly Bonsai (another fast-draining 1 like Bonsai Jack which is great for indoor succulents).

Outdoors

Because mine is growing outside year-round in a climate where it's hot & sunny 5 months out of the year, I added in some other ingredients. I do a lot of repotting & have a garage to store them so why not!

Here are the materials I used:

• 2/3 succulent & cactus mix (see above for options)
• 1/3 potting soil—I like Fox Farm Ocean Naturals because it has lots of good stuff in it that plants love.
• A few generous handfuls of pumice—This ups the ante on the drainage & aeration factors.
• A few generous handfuls of compost—Compost nourishes the soil naturally but be careful not to use too much in a pot this size.
• A 1/2" topping of worm compost

This is my favorite amendment, which I use sparingly because it’s rich. I’m currently using  Worm Gold Plus.

This pot measures 14" wide x 8" deep. It was tan & I spray painted it yellow. You can order similar pots here. These are the ones I have my Grey Fishhooks Senecio in as well as my String Of Bananas.

Steps Taken

I watered my Elephant Bush a few days before repotting it. You don't want any plant to be stressed during the process.

This plant easily came out of the pot by squeezing the sides, turning it upside down & pulling it out.

I placed succulent & cactus mix along a bit of potting soil in the bottom of the pot so that the root ball is even with the top.

Filled in around the sides with the mix along with some pumice.

I topped it with worm compost & a bit of compost.

Why I Repotted My Elephant Bush

This plant really didn't need repotting as you can see if you watch the video. It wasn't pot bound at all but I wanted a better plant to replace the Spider Plant.

The pot is large enough so that the Elephant Bush can stay in it for quite a few years. This variegated form is slower growing & stays smaller than the other varieties of Portulacaria.

Care for an Elephant Bush After Repotting

I hung it in the spot near the front door where my Spider Plant had been growing. It was very early spring so I didn't have to worry about this newly planted fleshy succulent burning.

I had watered the plant in its grow pot a few days before the repotting. As with the majority of succulents I transplant, I let the Elephant Bush settle in for about a week before giving it a thorough watering.

How my Elephant Bush is doing now?

I filmed the repotting video in early April & it's now mid-September. As you can see, my Variegated Elephant Bush has grown quite a bit in 4 & 1/2 months. The trails are reaching 12" below the bottom of the pot.

It's pale green because of the heat & the sun. Although it only gets 2 hours of the direct morning sun, it's very intense here in the Tucson desert.

Once the cooler weather sets in, it'll green up & some of the leaves will be tinged with pink.

My Elephant Bush is doing great and so is my Spider Plant which I moved indoors. Don't you just love it when your plants are happy?!