African Poison Bush Plant Care

African Poison Bush (Withania riebeckii) belongs to the Solanaceae family within the Withania genus. African Poison Bush is native to the islands of Socotra and Samhah in Yemen's Socotra Archipelago. African Poison Bush is also known as Riebeck's Ashwagandha.

African Poison Bush displays an upright, branching shrub growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. African Poison Bush produces small tubular flowers in shades of purple or green.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted African Poison Bush every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

African Poison Bush thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Withania riebeckii tolerates temperatures of 60–80°F. African Poison Bush prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for African Poison Bush to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed African Poison Bush every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

African Poison Bush is suited to USDA Zone 10b – 12b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

African Poison Bush can spread to about 2 ft (0.6 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune African Poison Bush while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

African Poison Bush is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 10). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

African Poison Bush can be propagated through seeds, stem cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to indian rennet plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

African Poison Bush is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

African Poison Bush grows outdoors in USDA Zone 10b – 12b. It survives winters down to planting zone 10b. African Poison Bush is native to the islands of Socotra and Samhah in Yemen's Socotra Archipelago. In cooler regions, grow African Poison Bush as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.