Portulacaria Afra, a shrub succulent that is also called elephant's food, once covered 2 1/2 million acres in its native South Africa. However, its population has declined significantly as a result of overgrazing by sheeps and goats. Native to the grasslands of Lesotho and South Africa, the torch plant is a hardy succulent well adapted to living in arid areas. It is a Madagascarian native. Your plant may be damaged if it is exposed to too much direct sunlight.