Type of Tree?

I read thru the sticky and tried to get the best photos I could. This tree was given to me by a co worker. He moved into his house in 1992 and it was in the same pot and all he has ever done is throw some fertilizer on it every now and then. Just wondering what type it is, and your opinion on the tree. I know I am going to trim, repot and make it look as good as I can, with some help from a local bonsai artist.

Thanks for your help in advance....

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

Portulacaria afra (known as elephant bush, dwarf jade plant, porkbush and spekboom in Afrikaans) is a small-leaved succulent plant found in South Africa.

It is a soft-wooded, semi-evergreen upright shrub or small tree, usually 2.5–4.5 metres (8–15 ft) tall. Similar in appearance to the "jade plant" Crassula ovata (family Crassulaceae), P. afra has smaller and rounder pads and more compact growth (shorter internodal spaces, down to 1.5 mm). It is much hardier, faster growing, more loosely branched, and has more limber tapering branches than Crassula once established.

Awesome. Thank you so much for that information.

It would appear that you have a Jade (Crassula). This is normally considered a shrub and not styled or cared for as other evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. You can Google for Jade Bonsai Care and find several good sites. Your best way to learn is to join your local bonsai club.

Succulent foemina.

in my opinion, it is Portulacaria, not Crassula. Regardless the care is similar. Sun, fast draining soil. Regular water when actively growing (warm temps) somewhat dry when dormant (cool weather). This plant has one great feature. That trunk has a lot of age to it. Portulacaria trunks need a couple decades to develop this type of character, this one has it. Which gives it some potential for becoming bonsai. Nice gift from your neighbor. Do consult some local bonsai people at your local club before chopping away at it. it could become a nice display tree.

Leo Schordje wrote:in my opinion, it is Portulacaria, not Crassula. Regardless the care is similar. Sun, fast draining soil. Regular water when actively growing (warm temps) somewhat dry when dormant (cool weather). This plant has one great feature. That trunk has a lot of age to it. Portulacaria trunks need a couple decades to develop this type of character, this one has it. Which gives it some potential for becoming bonsai. Nice gift from your neighbor. Do consult some local bonsai people at your local club before chopping away at it. it could become a nice display tree.

Thank you for your thoughts. I did contact a local bonsai artist by the name of Paul Cortez at Operation Bonsai. He took one look and thought the same thing about the trunk. He is going to come out to my house to teach me some of the points of bonsai and to let me do some hands on work under his guidance. I am so looking forward to this and learning the art form.

I have a few of both, and it is for sure P.afra

Be sure to root all your cuttings and even leaves. There easy to do and you will have many more. Maybe pass on the woody bark to some small ones for some rare small bonsai with great bark.

Of course it is P Afra, as I already posted. No chance this is crassula.

leatherback wrote:Of course it is P Afra, as I already posted. No chance this is crassula.

Thank You.Chadley999 and EricF. I can tell I am going to like this forum already. We do plan on potting some of the cutlings. The others, I was going to offer to Paul (the bonsai artist who is going to come to my house and teach me the art.) I will never doubt your knowledge leatherback.

Im just learning too, but I help when I can, your very welcome.