Advice for pruning my P. afra
I've been thinking about pruning and repotting my port, but I'm not sure exactly what I should do. Is there a way to prune that would encourage more upward growth rather than outward? I do like the size of the plant, but it does take up a lot of window space
It's grown quite a bit as well, but does it actually need a bigger pot and would it help at all? If so, how much bigger?
Also, it's about 2 years old and it's in a southwest facing window
Comments (12)
Stefan
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThis looks very very wrong. its called an elephant bush, not elephant trailing plant...
Get a cutting and start from scratch. This needs a lot more light than it currently has.
Mine , a variegated one , even with minimal pruning branches upwards and sideways..
The branches are firm. They do not trail... The plant is stiff, as its should be
This one is from bot garden in spain. It was a meter, maybe taller.
Another photo from the web
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoAre you sure it is Portulacaria afra? Looks like different plant to me (that is trailing) - BUT I need a sharp close-up photo to be sure...Portulacaria should have woody stems - older ones. Only new growth is soft, often reddish, and while PA could have down-pointing branches, they are not trailing.
Above is a close-up photo of young plants: they are small cuttings that I rooted this year. You can see how woody stems are. Leaves could be all green, or variegated - depends on sp.
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Comments (6)Ah-- I see...well, I'm not sure Port-afra will support a cylindrical, symmetrical trunk with a mass of foliage on top as you describe it. Though the trunks can get very tough with age, they will never mimic a hardwood trunk. That, and the the leaves are reservoirs of water, which make them very heavy when compared to traditional leaves. Letting the plant grow "wild" will result in a thicker trunk, whether you chop it or not. However, I think you'll need the buttressing of a tapered trunk (using the chop method) to achieve a trunk capable of supporting the canopy. Also, I have found, that a trunk chop also spikes a push of growth. I've had the trunks of my port-afras grow at a considerable rate after a heavy pruning like a trunk chop-- both in foliage and in trunk size. With the trunk you have now, I don't think it will ever stand on its own (without a stake). Especially since Port-afras really like to droop if given the chance. Hope I was of some help. Ryan...See MoreNeed pruning advice for my peach tree
Comments (20)Note: I am the originator of this post and a self-taught gardener! From my understanding, it's a great thing to have an established v-shape already, so YAY on your pickens! I would start by pruning for the three D's - dead, damaged or diseased. Also, the smaller branches I would completely cut back 10-20'' from the ground. Also, be very cautious about when you prune in the spring. This past year, I pruned around my usual April 1st timeframe, and then we got hit with an untimely and detrimental frost that messed the entire growing season for so many plants. I'm in New Haven, Connecticut for reference. My peach tree got inflicted with a serious case of leaf curl and I thought it would die! I saved it by making a homemade anti-fungal solution of water and oregano oil. I also gave it one dowse of a water and beach solution as a Hail Mary since the harvest for the year was shot. All these leaves had turned brown and fell off. Then, the tree came back with a fury, more than I could've imagined, and made a full recovery sprouting new leaves everywhere. :) Next year when I prune, I will be dowsing the tree in my homemade oregano oil solution to hold back the spores that come with the spring season and could possibly reestablish a fresh case of leaf curl. It's good to do this as a preventive since they are so susceptible to the disease. I've read to remove and burn old leaves, but I haven't done this and am going to see how the solution helps alone. If it's helpful, I'm also going to try this method on my peonies that caught leaf blotch this year, too....See MoreThe Curious Case of This P Afra
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4 years agoEmily (5b)
4 years agorina_Ontario,Canada 5a
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoEmily
I wasn't aware there is P.a. prostrata!!! Thank you for pointing that out, I learned something new :) I looked it up on net and see that it is much more trailing. I guess it has that trailing growth habit, so I would pot it up in a hanging basket and let it grow the way it wants to. I do not know if you can get it grow upright - maybe with some very bonzai-like techniques? - I am just guessing here...Here is nice photo of prostrate form in tall container from THIS SITE:
I appologize for giving you a lesson...Emily (5b)
4 years ago
socks
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agorina_Ontario,Canada 5a
4 years agosocks
4 years agolgteacher
4 years ago
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5