Kingdom Plantae Family Portulacaceae Rank Species | Order Caryophyllales Genus Portulacaria | |
Similar Portulacaria pygmaea, Ceraria namaquensis, Portulacaria, Ceraria, Didiereaceae | ||
Portulacaria armiana (previously Ceraria armiana), also known as the Whipstick-porkbush is a succulent plant found on the border between Namibia and South Africa.
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Description
It grows as a low shrub. It can be distinguished from its relatives by its large, grey-green waxy leaves, and its extremely tall inflorescence ("whipstick"), which rises unusually high (up to 8 meters).
Within the genus Portulacaria, it is most closely related to its sister-species Portulacaria namaquensis.
Distribution
Its natural habitat is the lower reaches of the Orange River valley, on the border between Namibia and South Africa. In this extremely arid, winter-rainfall area, it favours mildly acidic sands on high granite outcrops.
It grows in full sun in extremely well-drained soil, and can be propagated by seed or cuttings.