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Compare Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus


Moonlight cactus and Elephant Bush


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Annual and Perennial  

Type
Succulent  
Cactus or Succulent  

Origin
Southern Africa  
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America  

Types
Limpopo, Prostrata, Aurea, Medio Picta  
Not avilable  

Number of Varieties
30  
99+
10  

Habitat
Dry areas, Lower slopes, Rocky areas  
Desert  

USDA Hardiness Zone
10-12  
-9999  

AHS Heat Zone
10-1  
-  

Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  

Habit
Twisted/Contorted  
Weeping  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
250.00 cm  
99+
30.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
121.00 cm  
99+
4.20 cm  

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Pink  
Dark Salmon, Sandy Brown, White, Yellow  

Flower Color Modifier
-  
Multi-Color  

Fruit Color
Green, Red  
Green  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green  
-  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green  
-  

Leaf Color in Fall
Green  
-  

Leaf Color in Winter
Green  
-  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Succulent  
Succulent  

Thorns
No  
Yes  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
-  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial shade  

Growth Rate
Fast  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Loam, Sand  
Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
Alkaline, Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Late Spring  
Early Spring, Early Summer, Late Spring, Late Winter, Mid Spring  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
-  

Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot  
Container, Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting  
Grafting, Seedlings  

Plant Maintenance
Low  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs less watering  
Average Water Needs  

In Summer
Ample Water  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Less Watering  
Moderate  

In Winter
Less Watering  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
-  

Soil Type
Loam, Sand  
-  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
-  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade  
-  

Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts  
-  

Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize late winter  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free  
-  

Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance  
Drought  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Yes  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Semi-Double  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
No  
Yes  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
Yes  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
Yes  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
-  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
No  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Bold  
Bold  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
-  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
No  

Self-Sowing
No  
No  

Attracts
Butterflies  
-  

Allergy
-  
Itchiness  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Showy Purposes  
Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Improve skin condition, Skin cleanser, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation, Skin Problems  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification, Erosion control, Food for birds, Indoor Air Purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife  
-  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Dehydration, Diabetes, Skin Disorders, Skin irritation, Sore throat  
-  

Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem  
Fruits, Nut  

Other Uses
Animal Feed, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads  
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping  

Used As Indoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical  
Container, Houseplant, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Tropical  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
PORTULACARIA afra  
Selenicereus pteranthus  

Common Name
Porkbush, Dwarf jade plant, Spekboom  
Selenicereus, Moonlight cactus  

In Hindi
Elephant Bush  
moonlight cactus  

In German
Elephant Bush  
Selenicereus  

In French
Elephant Bush  
Selenicereus  

In Spanish
elefante Bush  
Selenicereus  

In Greek
ελέφαντας Μπους  
Selenicereus  

In Portuguese
elefante de Bush  
Selenicereus  

In Polish
Elephant Bush  
Selenicereus  

In Latin
bush elephant  
moonlight cactus  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Embryophyta  
Tracheophyta  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Caryophyllales  
Caryophyllales  

Family
Portulacaceae  
Cactaceae  

Genus
Portulacaria  
Selenicereus  

Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots  

Tribe
-  
Hylocereeae  

Subfamily
Portulacarioideae  
Cactoideae  

Number of Species
1  
1  

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Difference Between Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus

If you are confused whether Elephant Bush or Moonlight cactus are same, here are some features about those plants to help you choose better. Many people think that these two plants have the same characteristics, but one can see Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus Information and learn more about it. Fertilizers required for proper growth of Elephant Bush are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring and Fertilize late winter, whereas for Moonlight cactus fertilizers required are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer. Hence, one should know the basic difference between Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus if you are planning to have them in your garden to enhance its beauty.

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Importance of Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus

Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Elephant Bush is Dehydration, Diabetes, Skin Disorders, Skin irritation and Sore throat whereas of Moonlight cactus is . Elephant Bush has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin, Improve skin condition, Skin cleanser, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation and Skin Problems while Moonlight cactus has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin, Improve skin condition, Skin cleanser, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation and Skin Problems.

Compare Facts of Elephant Bush vs Moonlight cactus

How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Elephant Bush vs Moonlight cactus and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Elephant Bush are whereas of Moonlight cactus have Itchiness respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Elephant Bush has no showy fruits and Moonlight cactus has showy fruits. Also Elephant Bush is not flowering and Moonlight cactus is flowering. You can compare Elephant Bush and Moonlight cactus facts and facts of other plants too.

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