How do you care for Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta'? A full breakdown of growing methods and things to watch out for

Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta' is commonly propagated by cuttings or grafting. Cuttings are usually taken during the growing season; the cuttings can be the branches trimmed off during shaping, and there are no strict requirements on length, but they must have at least 3 to 4 pairs of leaves. Before planting, remove the lower leaves, let them dry for 1 to 2 days, and once the wounds have dried, insert them into potting soil, place them somewhere without direct sunlight, and keep the soil slightly moist; they will take root in 2 to 3 weeks.

After the seedlings have taken hold, apply dilute fertilizer frequently to make them grow vigorously; once the plant has grown to a certain size, it can be shaped. Grafting is done during the growing season, using the original species Portulacaria afra (elephant bush) as the rootstock, and grafting by the cleft method.

The shaping of a Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta' bonsai can be done by combining wiring and pruning; common forms include the straight-trunk style, curved-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, cascade style, and semi-cascade style, among others. Because the stems are succulent, do not let the wire cut into the epidermis when wiring, otherwise the succulent stems will tear.

Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta' has loosely spaced branches, with the long branches drooping slightly; the crown is mostly trained in a natural style, elegant and flowing, well balanced in density, and very distinctive. You can also take advantage of its small, densely packed leaves by pruning frequently to encourage small branches, training the crown into a compact triangle or steamed-bun shape. For a Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta' that has rooted from cuttings, you can do a little wiring and pruning, plant it in a small pot, and pair it with a decorative stone to create a dainty, adorable, exquisite miniature bonsai.

For everyday watering of Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta', follow the rule of "don't water until dry, and when you water, water thoroughly"; avoid water accumulating in the pot, and do not leave it in long periods of rain, so as to prevent root rot. During high summer temperatures, make sure there is good ventilation to prevent leaf drop and root rot caused by muggy, humid conditions. During the growing season, apply a decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once every 20 days; after fertilizing, be sure to loosen the soil to increase its air permeability and help the roots absorb nutrients.

During the growing season of Portulacaria afra 'Medio-picta', prune away branches that affect the tree shape at any time; for grafted plants, promptly remove the shoots and leaves sprouting from the rootstock. In winter, move it indoors to a spot with plenty of sunlight for care, control watering, and it can overwinter safely at around 10°C. Carry out shaping once every year in spring.

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