Description
Portulacaria afra ‘Gold’ is a slow-growing succulent shrub. It has reddish-brown stems and pale yellow to light green rounded leaves – leaves emerge bright yellow and turn lime green with age. This plant works well as a bonsai plant, in hanging baskets, or as ground cover.
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| “Soak and dry” method
Low in Summer |
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Skin Soother
Crushed leaves and astringent juice are applied topically to soothe insect stings, sunburn, pimples, and rashes.
Mouth and Throat
Chewing the fresh leaves or sucking on them is used as a natural remedy to ease sore throats and mouth infections.
Dehydration
The moisture-rich leaves are chewed to quench thirst, ease exhaustion, and treat heatstroke.
Foot Relief
Rubbing crushed leaves onto the feet provides localized relief for blisters and corns.
Traditional Medicine
Ethnobotanical studies have recorded traditional uses for fevers, diarrhea, and other ailments, while recent pharmacological research shows the plant’s extracts possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Note: If you are looking to use it as a snack or a medicinal treatment, pick your leaves in the early morning when they are most lemony and acidic!
