I have no idea - I like the plant - but bumping your thread...

Maybe a Cotyledon paniculata or similar?

Maybe Portulacaria afra? I've been looking online, Sundays... Lol. I only saw ones with red stems but a search here showed some photos similar to yours with green stems too? Also called "Elephant bush"

I think you might be right about it being a Portulacaria afra. I'll know more once it blooms. Looking at pictures of it in bloom I now understand what my neighbor's wife meant by her description.

I'm not sure about the Cotyledon paniculata; I can see some similarities though.

Thank you both!

I hope that is correct, very pretty and interesting plant you have. :) I learned a lot looking it up, so thank you back! Now I want one. :)

Aww gee, so the mystery remains. Sorry, Rachel.

satchitosan

Where did you see similar plant ID-ed as Portulacaria afra? ...'I learned a lot looking it up'...Just want to see the site if possible, as this plant doesn't look like PA at all. There could be wrong info out there...

This is really a wild guess, but could it be Crassula sarcocaulis?

The trunk (peeling/flaky bark) does look like many Tylecodons have.

Do you know if your neighbour has photo of flowers/berries?

I agree with Rina, it does look like Crassula sarcocaulis, though the leaves seem rather too round. I had this plant years ago and lost it, still kicking myself for that. I've lost touch with the person who gave me the cutting..I've never seen this available commercially in North America..

That's the problem when plants are known only their common name such as 'elephant bush or baby jade' in the case of Port afras as they are not a jade at all and why all plants are given a Latinised name that is unique to them only. It avoids such a lot of confusion.

In order for if to have grown 'something like a berry' it must have first produced 'something like a flower' so maybe it had bell shaped flowers that are full and round as in a fruit or berry? Port afra flowers are mid pink, five petalled and star shaped.

Gill

This plant's leaves are definitely rounder and much wider than the Crassula sarcocaulis. So far, what I've seen looking most like it is p. afra, especially the Bonsai versions.

My neighbors, just like me, are avid gardeners and well aware that flowers come before berries but that is nonetheless the description that she gave me. Unfortunately there's no picture of it in bloom.

Rachel

I hope you don't mind me being so blunt, but your plant doesn't resemble Portulacaria afra at all IMO. Gill explained why, posted photo, and there are photos available on net (pls. check just reliable sites) that you can look at if Gill's post is not enough to see the difference, and compare.

Maybe I don't see clearly, could you please point out why do you think it is Portulacaria afra? I only suggested C. sarcocaulis as a "wild guess". Trunk looks similar to trunk of some tylecodons, I really do not know what your very nice plant is, but dare to say that it is not PA - bonsai or not. Here is an examole - a link to just one of threads on this site showing green leaved portulacaria-afra-bonsai

I could be wrong and am very interested to learn something new.

Doesn't look like P. afra to me. Maybe some sort of Tylecodon that has become a bit etiolated? Here's a pic of T. paniculatus flowers I found on the internet...

Could maybe fit the description of little red more like a berry?

Please don't get me wrong ladies, I really appreciate all the suggestions; they are all great leads and I'm learning a lot.

Also, I'm not saying that it is a p. afra, I'm simply saying that, to me, that's what it looks like the most of all the suggestions. I know the importance of the leaf growth pattern but the shape of those leaves still look closer to the P Afra than anything else I've seen.

Thank you for the picture of those flowers. They certainly could look like a berry type of flower LOL

I will keep following your leads so please, bring on all the suggestions you can think of. I'll be researching more in-depth the tylecodons!

I looked at many pictures on many websites and I'm starting to believe that it is a Tylecodon paniculatus. I sent the information to my neighbor to see if they can verify it. Crossing my fingers!

Hope they remember the name :)

BTW, how big is the plant (from the soil line to highest tip)? Is it potted it up now?

I put the plant in its new home very shortly after getting it. It measures approximately 21" or 53 cm.

Rachel, FYI the name Tylecodon paniculatus is listed as a synonym for Cotyledon paniculata, which is what I suggested in my previous comment. Just mentioning that because your neighbor may recognize it by either of those names.

This is a mystery I don't think it's T. paniculatus either:(. The leaves and growth are very different. I will keep looking I love a good mystery:).

Pic of my non variegated Portulaca afra:). The leaves are more waxy and thick.

Leaves of T. paniculatus:). Your plant looks way different to me. These last two pics are from the internet:).

I'd like to revive this post because I am still in the dark.

Absolutely not P afra, the leaf shape doesn't match, the trunk type is also wrong.

Kara's last pic above looks pretty close to yours, in both leaf shape & trunk color & peeling style.

I'd put my attention on that last pic's ID, looks much more likely.

Either Sedum oxypetalum or Sedum frutescens.

Thank you Garrett! I've been looking into both and the Sedum oxypetalum looks remarkably similar.