Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Care

Variegated Portulacaria Afra is a succulent and is often called “Dwarf Jade” due to its similar looks to the Jade plant, but it is in fact its own species. It is very similar to the normal green version of Portulacaria Afra, the only difference between the two is the “variegation”, which means leaves have cream edges.

This cream color is caused by a lack of chlorophyll. Plants like this are cultivated for this beautiful and interesting pattern and while they are very similar, you will need to care for variegated version slightly differently, which I will cover here.

I bought a little Variegated Portulacaria Afra in 2016. I had wanted one for a while so I was very happy to finally get hold of one. You can follow its development in my Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Progression.

What Is The Natural Habitat Of A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Tree?

Portulacaria Afra is native to South Africa and is usually found in the drier rocker regions of the country.

However, the variegated cultivar will be grown more in nurseries than the wild. It will occur occasional in the wild, but it is normally something that is achieved through selective breading and propagated for sales.

What Soil Do Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Need?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai needs a very loose, fast draining soil. As it is a succulent it does not like being sat in water for too long.

I use a 50/50 mix of Molar Clay and Perlite. It will hold some water but it also dries out very quickly, which the tree likes.

(For more info on soil read – A General Guide To Bonsai Soil)

How Do you Water AVariegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bosnai is a succulent and it’s is best to let them dry out completely in between watering.

Over watering will cause root rot. These trees can actaully survive a long time without water and it is totally fine to let them go dry. This is exactly why the loose, fast draining soil is required.

If you are new to this species I would err on the side of caution and water less than you think you need to. You can tell when it is really in need of water, as the leaves will start to shrivel up. I usually water before this happens, I just wait until the pot is fully dry and then a few days later I will water again.

In the middle of winter when they are not growing, I only water my portulcarua afra about once a month. In the height of growing season I will water them maybe once a week if its hot and they are growing strongly, but usually its once every two weeks on average. They really do not need much water.

You will often find the leaves turn brown, or just drop off. This is normal from time to time, but you will notice when you first get this, it happens a lot. This is usually too much water, so back off and really let it dry out before watering again. When you get one of these they can be fussy about being in a new place. They will take a few weeks to get use to the change in light and temperature. Water usually upsets them more, so just hold back on that until it calms down and settles in.

(For more info you can read – How To Water A Bonsai)

How Much Sun Light Does A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Need?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai absolutely love the sun. They are succulents and from South Africa, so they can handle a lot

They need lots of light and full sun. As the variegated version has less chlorophyll than the normal version it will need even more light to grow at the same rate. I grow my variegated ones under a grow light and find they do very well, but even here they are not growing as fast as the green version.

I originally kept them in a very sunny south facing window. They did grow, but this was very slowly. I also found they stopped growing in winter, which is to expected as the UK winters are pretty dark.

How Hardy Are Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai are not hardy. They are a tropical succulent.

They should not be allowed to go under 5°C (41°F) and especially should not be exposed to frost.

I keep mine inside all year. But it is possible to keep them outside during the summer months.

I get a lot of summer rain, so to avoid over watering I keep mine inside all year.

How Often Do You Feed A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

I feed my Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai a general all purpose compost once a month during the growing season.

(For more info you can read – Do You Need To Use “Bonsai” Fertiliser?)

How Do Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Respond to Pruning?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai respond well to pruning. You can prune them when they get over grown. They take slightly longer to bounce back compared to the green version, but they can be pruned in the same way.

To get good ramification you should cut back the branches to the first or second pair of leaves. Every time you do this you will get 2 new shoots where you pruned. It is very easy to build ramification on these trees, you just let them grow and prune them back and you will quickly end up with a very dense tree.

(For more info you can read – How To Prune A Bonsai Tree)

Repotting A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai

Repot a Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai in summer. You can prune the roots hard, but do not water after cutting the roots.

Wait at least a week or two before you water again. The freshly cut roots need time to heal and dry over, so do not water straight away as it can risk root rot.

(For more info you can read – How To Repot A Bonsai Tree)

Wiring A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai

You can wire a Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai but be careful, the branches are easily snapped.

If you do wire, it should only really be used for the primary branch structure. If you try and wire the smaller tips you will probably find they snap.

It’s is better to do the majority of the styling with clip and grow techniques.

What Is The Leaf Pattern Of A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

The leaves of Portulacaria Afra bonsai are opposite, meaning two leaves appear at the same spot, on opposite side of the branch. The next set of leaves up from this will be at a 90° angle to the previous leaves.

When you prune it back, two new branches will appear at the set of leaves below where you have cut. This makes using directional pruning very easy on these trees as you can always predict where the new growth will be.

What Pests Does A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai Suffer From?

The main pest to attack Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai is Mealy bugs which can easily be dealt with if caught early.

Check your trees often. If you see white, cotton like stuff forming near the base of the leaves, this will be mealy bugs and you will need to address this quickly before it gets out of control.

Can You Propagate A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai will root from cuttings. You can take any size cutting and root it. They take longer than the non-variegated, but I have done it.

Let the cut end dry out for a few days and then plant the cutting in dry soil. Leave it untouched until you start to see new leaves growing. Do not water it until this point. It can take a while, but they will grow. Just make sure they have plenty of light while they are developing roots.

What Is The Growth Rate Of A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

The growth rate is very slow on a Variegated Portulacaria Afra bonsai. If you can give them more light, it will speed them up. The lack of chlorophyll really does give them a disadvantage.

I have found mine will grow much faster now they are under a grow light, but they are still slower than the green version.

Should You Get A Variegated Portulacaria Afra Bonsai?

The Variegated Portulacaria Afra is easy to look after, but it can be very fussy.

It needs plenty of light and you need to be careful with watering. I’ve found changing its conditions can cause it to react badly. Once it is happy, it is best to keep it in that constant state you have it in. This can take a little bit of playing around at first, but your tree will settle and then you can get into the rhythm of doing what ever it is you are doing.

Although it is very similar to the normal green Portulacaria Afra, I would not recommend it to beginners. It is a lot more sensitive and you need to be confident with its care to keep it happy.