Can you tell me whether I can feed this plant to my Greek?

[ismail]

Hi there,

Can anyone be so kind to tell me whether this plant is safe to give to my greeks? I was told it is a form of cacti, but i will not give it to them if i'm not sure that it is not poisonous.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Looks like a type of jade to me. I have two types here at my place. One looks like yours and I don't feed it because one of our cats ate some and got pukie sick from it. The other jade I have is what I think people call a money bush(?) this one I know is safe and I feed it once every two weeks or so. It has a high water content and makes for runny BM's that I don't want to deal with. I feed it to both my Russians and my sucatas. Maybe others can help.

 

[Neal]

The common name is Elephant Bush. At least, that's the name on all the pots at home depot.

It's edible and easy to propagate.

 

[testtudude]

It is jade or crassula ovata. High in water and extremely high in oxalates. Feed only in moderation.

 

[redbeef]

looks like portulacaria afra, elephant food, mini jade plant or porkbush are common names.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulacaria_afra

http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/portulacarafra.htm

 

[Yvonne G]

No, it's not crassula ovata. It is Portulacaria afra. Redbeef is correct. In South Africa this plant's name is "Tortoise Food."

 

[ismail]

No, it's not crassula ovata. It is Portulacaria afra. Redbeef is correct. In South Africa this plant's name is "Tortoise Food."

Yes it actually looks very much like Portulacaria afra rather than jade. Are you sure its called tortoise food, or elephant food? So do you think i can give it to my torts?

Thanks again for all the help!

---

Looks like a type of jade to me. I have two types here at my place. One looks like yours and I don't feed it because one of our cats ate some and got pukie sick from it. The other jade I have is what I think people call a money bush(?) this one I know is safe and I feed it once every two weeks or so. It has a high water content and makes for runny BM's that I don't want to deal with. I feed it to both my Russians and my sucatas. Maybe others can help.

sorry for sounding too naive, but what is a runny BM's ?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Loose and/or runny stools from the high water content. Kinda slimy, sticks to everything.

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, the common name that all us folks not in SA have for the plant is "elephant bush," however, the local people in SA have named it "tortoise food."

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I just did a google image search for portulacaria afra. Much to my surprise we had tons of that growing at my childhood home. I would readily eat the leaves. They had a sour taste and the only side affect seems that I grew up to have an affinity for tortoises.

 

[Yvonne G]

LOL!

 

[Moozillion]

I just did a google image search for portulacaria afra. Much to my surprise we had tons of that growing at my childhood home. I would readily eat the leaves. They had a sour taste and the only side affect seems that I grew up to have an affinity for tortoises.

Ha ha ha!!!!

 

[ismail]

I just did a google image search for portulacaria afra. Much to my surprise we had tons of that growing at my childhood home. I would readily eat the leaves. They had a sour taste and the only side affect seems that I grew up to have an affinity for tortoises.

Ha ha ha!!!!

So what will be the final judgement be? should i feed it to my greeks? will they benefit from them? (or they'll grow big as elephants! )

cheers to all!

 

[Tom]

Portulacaria afra. I feed it to my sulcatas and leopards. They don't go crazy for it, but they will eat it if they are hungry. Should be fine once in a while for a greek.

The translation from the swahili common name for this plant to english is "tortoise food".

 

[redbeef]

I just did a google image search for portulacaria afra. Much to my surprise we had tons of that growing at my childhood home. I would readily eat the leaves. They had a sour taste and the only side affect seems that I grew up to have an affinity for tortoises.

lol