How to care for an elephant foot plant

The elephant foot plant is one of the most common in homes, due to its easy care and its attractiveness. However, when her needs are not met, she can end up suffering and even dying. But, How to care for an elephant foot plant?

If you are going to buy one, they are going to give it to you, and you already have it in your home, take a look at what we tell you here to know or make sure of the care that this living being needs.

Elephant foot, how is it?

We will start by telling you that the elephant leg is not originally from Spain, but rather comes from Mexico and Central American countries. Their natural habitat is desert areas and dry forests, hence they can withstand heat very well.

Outside, this plant can easily reach 10 meters in heightbut in a pot and indoors it will not exceed one and a half meters. In addition, it has few branches and a thick trunk. Its leaves are very thin and very long, green, and tend to fall towards the ground making curves. Really, to see an elephant foot plant is to see as if it had a disheveled head.

One characteristic of this plant is that it has an area in which it stores water, in such a way that it nourishes itself. That is why it is much easier to take care of since it does not require being so careful, as long as you comply with all the care it needs.

How to care for an elephant foot plant step by step

Next we are going to talk about each of the care that you must provide to your plant so that it is healthy. It is important that you take them into account to avoid health problems in her that, although you could save them, it does not hurt to avoid them as much as possible.

Lighting

The elephant foot plant it needs light to be able to develop well. This implies that it will need to be placed in a very bright area because it requires several hours of sun.

Now, what if you want to put it out? Well, more light, although here it will depend on where you live. And is that when the sun gets too hot, especially in spring and summer, being directly under the sun’s rays can be harmful to her, to the point of burning the leaves. Therefore, it is recommended in those cases to put it in semi-shade.

Temperature

These plants adapt very well to the interior of the houses because the right temperature is provided for them, that is, between 18 and 26 degrees.

That is why they are sold as indoor plants because most, if not all homes have that temperature swing.

Earth

This is a very important point, and perhaps the one that is least paid attention to, especially when buying an elephant foot pot. And is that The soil that you must carry is essential that it drains a lot. It does not like compact or heavy soils, a soil that oxygenates is much better.

Our recommendation is that you use a mixture with plant compost (better than cactus and succulent soil), some drainage such as akadama, gravel, etc. and add some pearls of water that will help prevent moisture between the roots of the plant.

Make sure you don’t pack too much of the soil with the plant.

Irrigation

One of the important points of how to care for an elephant foot plant is watering. And, as we have told you before, we are talking about a plant that has its own water stores, so if you water it excessively, you will end up killing it.

To give you an idea, plants in the growing season, which is usually spring and summer, are watered only once a week or every two weeks; meanwhile, in winter it will be approximately once a month.

Now, each plant is different, and to know if you have to water or not, the trick that experts use is to put a finger in the substrate. If it feels wet, then don’t water; in case it is dry, it is watered.

Fertilizer

Like all plants, at some point in their lives they will need fertilizer. Especially in the spring and summer months.

The best you can use is the slow release granular fertilizer. And always making sure it is with low nitrogen levels.

You simply have to put it in early spring and early summer and that’s it, because, being slow-release, it will stay for all those months.

If you see that the tips of the leaves begin to burn, it is because you have been able to put fertilizer on it. It is better to put less quantity than the manufacturer determines.

Pruning

The pruning of the elephant foot plant happens only by cut off those leaves that look brown. It is not necessary to cut it whole, that is, if it only has the brown tip but the rest is fine, you can leave it and just cut that part.

It doesn’t need more drastic pruning and you probably won’t need to cut it often either. Actually, there is not much to cut to the plant although if you see that some branches are dry, you should also remove them to give the opportunity for new ones to be born.

Transplant

The elephant foot is a plant that does not require constant transplantation because it is actually very slow growing.

Only when the roots are visible to protrude below, the transplant will be necessary. When more or less should it be transplanted? Well, there is no set date, since many years can pass. Of course, when it comes to transplanting, it is better to wait until the beginning of spring so that frost or cold do not affect it.

Multiplication

Elephant’s foot can be played in two different ways: either by seeds (although in this case it will take a long time for a “decent” plant to grow), or by suckers.

The suckers are the stems that come out of the trunk, at the base, and if you separate them carefully not to damage the roots, you can plant them in a new pot so that another plant can grow. It will also take time, but you have saved a lot.

Do you have more questions about how to care for the elephant foot plant? Tell us and we will help you to always be in perfect condition.