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Recently I moved to a new house and there was a bonsai tree that seems to be very weak.

What kind of bonsai tree is it?

Patrick B.
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S. Ana
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2 Answers2

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My first reflex was Crassula ovata, aka. jade plant or money tree, but after taking a closer look, I now id it as Portulacaria afra, the dwarf jade plant.

Both are succulent plants from southern Africa, looking quite similar on a first glance and both are popular bonsai plants. But the Crassula ovata has egg-shaped leaves , the Portulacaria afra more round to heart-shaped ones. Also, the latter tends to have more "ribbed" stems while the former is smooth.

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Stephie
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It appears much like a dwarf jade plant (Portulacaria afra); thick ovular leafs, segmented trunk and stems are all very jade-like. Portulacaria afra is a tropical plant that can and often is grown indoors. It can be propagated by simply breaking off a leaf and sticking it into damp soil. Crassula, known commonly as 'jade' tends to make thicker stems than the photographed plant.