Portulacaria afra, more commonly known as the “Elephant Bush”, is a succulent native to South Africa. This hardy succulent has thick, woody stems and small, circular leaves. In general, Portulacaria are easy to care for and look great in arrangements. A common problem many people encounter is elephant bush leaves wrinkling.
Wrinkled leaves occur due to improper watering or sunlight. if the problem is fixed soon enough, this hardy succulent will bounce back.
Continue reading to learn how to tell if you have over or under watered your Portulacaria and how to fix both situations.
For more information about general Elephant Bush care, check out this complete care guide.
Elephant bush leaves wrinkling due to under watering
Like other succulents, Portulacaria are drought-tolerant and able to skip a watering or two. However, withholding water for too long can eventually lead to shriveled leaves. This is especially true if your succulent is receiving several hours of bright, direct sun per day or is in a hot and dry climate. The shriveled foliage is often dull in color and drops off easily.
If it has been a while since you last watered, check the moisture of the top few inches of soil. If the soil is bone dry, your succulent is likely under watered and needs a good soak.
Water until you see it come out of the drainage hole. You can also bottom water your succulent by placing the whole pot in a tub of water and allowing the water to soak up the drainage hole for 30 minutes. When the top of the soil feels damp, remove the pot from the water and let it drain. This works well for severely dehydrated plants. Fortunately, under watered succulents bounce back quickly once watered and the leaves will fill up again in a few days.
Elephant bush leaves wrinkling due to over watering
Like other succulents, Elephant bush is susceptible to over watering, which can cause root rot and lead to plant death.
Frequent watering, combined with cooler temperatures and low light is a recipe for root rot.
Additional signs of over watering include:
- Yellow, translucent leaves
- Brown and mushy stems
- Leaves easily falling off
- Soggy, damp soil
If any of the above are present, it is likely that the wrinkled leaves are due to over watering rather than under watering.
In general, Portulacaria should be watered about once every 2 weeks, only after the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are completely dry. During the winter or in low-light environments, the frequency should be even less because the soil takes longer to dry out. It is important to only water when the top few inches of soil are dry.
If you suspect you have over watered your Portulacaria, remove the plant from it’s pot and clean the soil off it’s roots. Using a clean pair of scissors, remove any dark brown or black roots that appear mushy as these are rotten (healthy roots are light tan). Make sure you wash the scissors after to avoid spreading the rot to other plants.
Clean the pot with soap and warm water, then fill it with fresh, new potting soil. Add perlite or gravel to the soil to increase drainage and decrease water retention.
Terracotta pots with drainage holes are best for succulents.
Prune the damaged leaves on the Elephant bush and plant in the fresh soil. Place the plant in an area with bright sun and good air flow to help the soil dry quickly. Reduce your watering frequency, waiting until the top few inches of soil are dry before watering.
Proper watering
As you can see, watering Elephant bush succulents properly is crucial to their health.
The frequency of watering depends on numerous factors such as temperature, sunlight, humidity, pot size, soil type, and ventilation.
For more information, check out this succulent watering guide.
In general, you can start off watering this succulent every 1 to 2 weeks in the summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in the winter. Always check that the top few inches of soil are dry before watering to get an idea if your plant needs moisture. Adjust the schedule as needed based on your plant’s specific environment.
When the soil is dry, soak the plant until water comes of of the pot’s drainage hole. Empty out the saucer so the plant does not sit in water for long. Let the soil completely dry out before watering again. Succulents like to be infrequently soaked: do not mist the plant or let the leaves stay wet because that can cause rot.
Choosing a well-draining succulent soil mix and adding perlite or gravel helps prevent root rot. Succulents are not fans of dense houseplant soil.
Elephant bush leaves wrinkling due to too much sunlight
Besides watering, wrinkled Portulacaria leaves may also be due to too much sunlight. If this succulent receives too much direct sunlight, the leaves can wrinkle or burn (which will show up as brown spots on the leaves that does not fade away).
This is especially true if your succulent is outside during the summer and exposed to bright light for many hours per day.
Provide your Portulacaria with bright, indirect sunlight. Avoid exposing your succulent to harsh, afternoon sun in the summer.
Elephant Bush Care Summary
Portulacaria have similar care needs as other succulents. Their ideal conditions are summarized below:
| Sunlight | Several hours of bright, indirect sun |
| Water | Once ever 1 to 2 weeks in the summer, once every 3 to 4 weeks in the winter |
| Soil | Well-draining and porous soil |
| Temperature | Warm and dry |
| Dormancy | Winter dormant |
| Propagation | Cuttings |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
In summary for Elephant bush leaves wrinkling…
Wrinkled Elephant bush leaves are most likely due to improper watering (either too much or too little) or excess sunlight. If you have not watered your plant in a while and the soil is dry to touch, under watering is the most likely cause and the plant should be given a good soak. On the other hand, if your plant has yellow, translucent leaves and limp, drooping stems, over watering is likely the culprit. In this case, trim the damage and replant in fresh soil.
If you think you are watering your succulent correctly, try bringing your succulent indoors or moving it further away from the window to reduce it’s light exposure.
Have any other questions about Elephant bush leaves wrinkling that I did not answer? Let me know down below!
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