Portulacaria afra
The Spekboom (“Bacon Tree”) is a succulent shrub or small tree of up to 5m tall that occurs naturally from the Little Karoo, through the Eastern Cape – where it is the dominant plant species in parts of the province, like the Addo Elephant National Park – and Kwazulu-Natal and into the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It grows best on warm, rocky slopes. It is listed as being of least concern in the Red List of South African Plants.
Spekboom is browsed heavily by game (including elephants) and livestock, and humans too use the leaves in salads or as medicine for skin conditions and other ailments. Easily grown from cuttings, Spekboom is a popular garden plant and widely established in many parts of the world. In recent years the Spekboom’s incredible ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere coupled with its ease of propagation has received much attention as a possible mitigating measure against climate change.
DeWetsWild 
Hier in Gauteng groei hulle nie so hoog nie, maar blom gereeld. Almal op die plot weet nou al, dat die stukke wat afbreek weer erens geplant moet word, hulle groei so maklik
Ons ondervinding hier in Pretoria is nou weer net andersom – ons spekboom staan goed 5m hoog, maar het nog nooit geblom nie!
Dit is ook ‘n gunsteling boom by my (dis een van die min dinge wat al gegroei het wat ek self geplant het 😉). Ons het ‘n pragtige een in Langebaan en wraggies ook een in ons tuin hier by die huis wat ons in Oos-Londen huur. Ek het in Morgan Bay gesien hoe die bokke behoorlik hang aan die spekbome in die dorpie … en het gewonder wat die inwoners hiervan dink!
Ek hou ook van plante wat maklik groei!
Lovely
We also think so!
Dis my gunsteling boom, Dries!
Ook n gunsteling vir ons, Aletta. Ons is nou al 2 keer in n Desembermaand deur die Huisrivierpas, en die Spekbome staan dan almal in blom daar – wat n gesig!
Dis wonderlik om dit te sien. My tuin is vol van hulle! 😊
Gelukkige jy!
😀 Ek kan baie knipsels vir jou Pudo.
Dit is baie gaaf van jou, Aletta, maar gelukkig nie nodig nie. Ons het n mooi spekboom in ons tuin, en dit staan al so hoog as die vensters op ons tweede verdieping na omtrent 7 jaar, maar dit het nog nooit geblom nie!
Nature’s wonder. The spekboom outside our house has already grown as tall as a small tree. I have started a hedge of spekboom to separate the front- from the back garden, simply from cuttings taken from the original one.
For someone as challenged at gardening as I am, the Spekboom is a gift that keeps giving! 😀
What a lovely plant, Dries. It looks quite fire retardant too.
You are quite right about that, Tracy!