About Portulacaria namaquensis Sond.
Species Nomenclature
Portulacaria namaquensis Sond. grows to a height between 1.3 and 1.8 metres (4 ft 3 in to 5 ft 11 in).
Height
It typically produces small, ovoid, club-shaped succulent leaves.
Leaf Shape
These leaves are deciduous and grow densely along its stems.
Leaf Characteristics
Its stems are stout, grow upward, and branch by forking.
Stem Structure
This species grows very slowly, and its flowers are usually unisexual.
Growth Rate & Flowers
In the wild, its natural distribution runs along the Orange River valley on the border between Namibia and South Africa.
Core Distribution
It has also been recorded growing near the coast slightly further north in Namibia.
Extended Distribution
Its native habitat is an extremely arid area that receives winter rainfall.
Native Habitat
For cultivation, it requires extremely well-drained soil, and it is usually grown grafted onto a rootstock of the more resilient Portulacaria afra.
