Portulacaria afra variegata - Rainbow Bush

This plant has so many names! Besides Rainbow Bush, Mini Jade, and Elephant Bush are all nicknames given this South Africa and Swaziland native. It actually has a beautiful give and take relationship with elephants. Elephants like to feed off of its branches and as they drop leaves and trample them, the elephants simultaneously propagate them.

If kept in a small pot, this succulent will keep its petite status, but if you give it room to grow then it will develop into a mounding shrub. Wherever you decide to plant it, Portulacaria afra will stand out as its stem deepens in color into an even redder to purple shade. Its small light green variegated leaves give plenty of room to show off the stems color while contrasting and highlighting it at the same time.