Tag: Kalanchoe

It’s a good idea to use a moisture meter so you’ll know when to water, and this can help to prevent overwatering and root rot.

Temperature

Indoors or out, these plants also need nighttime temperatures of at least 60°F. Daytime temperatures around 70°F are ideal, though they can tolerate temperatures much warmer.

If you’re growing container kalanchoe in regions north of Zone 9 or 10 where they aren’t hardy, beware of the onset of cooler weather.

Make sure to bring potted plants into the house or place them in a heated greenhouse before temperatures dip below 40°F.

These are tough plants, but they can’t withstand freezing temperatures.

Species to Select

With over 100 species in the Kalanchoe genus, most of these are not in cultivation. But the ones that are readily available to the home gardener are still quite diverse.

Here are a few of the most popular varieties you might want to opt for to grow at home:

Florist’s Kalanchoe

K. blossfeldiana, or florist’s kalanchoe, aka flaming katy, is known for being one of the easiest varieties to grow among flowering houseplants.

With a max height of about 12 to 18 inches and spread of about a foot, it produces clusters of flowers that may be white, yellow, orange, or pink, depending on the variety.

The foliage is fleshy and green, with scalloped edges.

Bear in mind that while you can force plants grown indoors to bloom again, the process takes about 12 weeks, beginning the previous fall.

You can learn more about encouraging kalanchoe to rebloom indoors here.

Yellow Florist’s Kalanchoe

Yellow-flowering K. blossfeldiana plants in two-and-a-half-inch containers are available from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.

Or read more about caring for florist’s kalanchoe/flaming katy here.

Mother of Thousands

K. daigremontiana reproduces readily from both cuttings and the little plantlets that develop along the edges of its leaves.

It features bright green foliage with saw-toothed edges on fleshy stems.

It’s similar to the mother of millions kalanchoe but has larger leaves that grow up to eight inches long.

Mother of millions produces plantlets on the top of its leaves, while mother of thousands may grow them all along the leaf margins.

Mother of thousands is hardy in Zones 9 to 11. Outdoors it flowers in winter and then dies, producing bell-shaped red-orange blossoms that hang down in a ring from a tall stem.

Planted in the ground, it can reach three feet tall. If its pot is large enough and it receives ample light, it can also grow to this size in a container.

‘Mother of Thousands’

Begin with a more modestly sized four-inch pot of ‘Mother of Thousands,’ available from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.

Learn more about growing mother of thousands here.

Panda Plant

K. tomentosa, known as panda plant, is also called pussy ears or chocolate soldier – not to be confused with the columbine cultivar of the same name, or with the flame violet (Episcia cupreata) which also sometimes goes by this common name.

This species is valued for its fuzzy leaves – silvery with chocolate-brown piping along the margins – more than its blooms.

But it may sport clusters of purple-tipped, yellow-green flowers in spring.

These sizable succulents are a suitable accent for gardens and borders in Zones 11 to 12, and they also offer indoor appeal as houseplants.

They can grow three feet tall and two or three feet wide under ideal conditions.

Panda Plant

Two-inch pots of K. tomentosa are available via Walmart.

Learn more about growing and caring for panda plant here.

Maintenance

You can remove any dead leaves or spent flowers every couple of months. You can prune these plants to shape them if you like.

Only cut a few inches from the top of any stems that have grown lanky, and keep in mind that this is typically a sign of inadequate light exposure. 

If you’re growing in containers, you may need to repot every year or two, depending on how fast your chosen variety grows.

Look for roots peeking out the bottom through the drainage holes, and make sure to only move to a pot that’s one size larger.

These succulents don’t mind being a little root bound, and if they get a bit cramped, they just won’t grow as big or as quickly.

Make sure to move your plants indoors in the winter well ahead of frost if you live in a region with cold winters, or if a rare cold snap is in the forecast.

They’ll tolerate drought, but frost and freezes will kill them.

If you can’t move the plants because they’re growing in the ground, row cover or plastic might help prevent an unexpected freeze from claiming the plants.

It is unlikely that an indoor specimen will bloom. However, you can try to mimic nature and encourage flowering.

Provide 12 hours of sunlight with the aid of a grow light, and less than 12 hours of darkness during the last six weeks of the dormant fall and winter period.

It is also essential to withhold fertilizer and water minimally during this time.

Soil

The ideal potting medium for flapjack paddle kalanchoe is gritty and well-draining. Cactus and succulent soil is appropriately formulated to meet the need for pH in the 6.5 to 7.5 range.

Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix is composed of organic compost and peat moss to provide optimal nutrition, inorganic sand for rapid drainage, and limestone to maintain a slightly acidic pH.

Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix

Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix is available from Hoffman via Amazon.

You can also make your own succulent potting soil following our recipe here.

Water

Because succulents are prone to rotting in overly wet soil, it’s best to let the pot dry completely before watering. Use a moisture meter as your guide.

During dormancy, moisture needs are greatly reduced as the flapjack plant is not actively growing.

You can learn more about watering succulents here.

Fertilizer

While it is not a heavy feeder, the flapjack paddle plant benefits from a monthly nutrient boost during the spring and summer growing season.

Use a balanced liquid houseplant food with an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10, or similar.

Dilute it to half strength and apply when watering. Withhold fertilizer during the fall and winter dormant period.

See our guide to fertilizing succulents for more information.

Where to Buy

You can find flapjack paddle plants available at most nurseries that carry a good selection of succulents.

Upon receipt of a starter pot, assess its moisture needs. If the growing media is dry, water it until water runs out of the drainage holes.

Place the pot in a location with bright, indirect sunlight away from drafts.

Flapjack Paddle Plant

Flapjack paddle plants are available from Planet Desert in four-inch, six-inch, and two-gallon pots.

In addition to the straight species, there is a variegated cultivar, ‘Fantastic,’ with multicolored green and cream leaves edged in red.

‘Fantastic’

You can find variegated flapjack paddle plant ‘Fantastic’ available in two-gallon pots from Planet Desert.

Maintenance

Flapjack paddle plant prefers a snug-fitting pot with about an inch of space between the foliage and the container rim to accommodate a watering can spout.

When it spreads to fill the vessel completely and/or roots poke from the drainage holes, go up one pot size.

Whether or not you need to increase the size of the container, it’s beneficial to change the potting mix every two years or so.

This avoids soil compaction that adversely affects the ability of the roots to efficiently absorb nutrients and water.

Additional maintenance includes the removal of damaged or dead leaves, a prime breeding ground for common houseplant pests and diseases, which we discuss below.

How to Grow

In the wild, K. tomentosa thrives in full sun to part shade. The soil is rocky, comprised primarily of granite, with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.0.

Indoors, this species thrives in bright indirect sunlight with a room temperature of between 65 and 75°F.

Avoid drafts and wide temperature fluctuations that may cause stress to the plant and stunt its growth.

Replicate the well-draining, gritty soil of its natural habitat with a quality cactus and succulent potting medium.

I use Tank’s-Pro Cactus and Succulent Mix. With coconut husk chips, horticultural pumice, and organic compost, it has the exceptional drainage required for successful succulent cultivation.

Tank’s-Pro Cactus and Succulent Mix

Tank’s-Pro Cactus and Succulent Mix is available from Tank’s Green Stuff via Amazon in 16-quart bags.

For best results, choose a porous pot made of a material like clay. It should be one inch wider than the foliage to allow room for a watering can spout.

There should be one or more drainage holes in the bottom and you will need a drip-catching dish or saucer to place underneath.

To transplant offsets, rooted cuttings, or nursery starts, set them at the same depth as in the original container and backfill with potting medium for a firm hold.

Water using the “dry and soak” method, waiting until the pot is completely dry before giving the soil a thorough soaking.

Allow excess water to drain out before returning the pot to its dish to avoid standing water that may lead to fungal infection and rotting.

Use a moisture meter as your guide and reduce watering during winter dormancy.

Over time, potted flora depletes the soil of its nutrients. Restore them by fertilizing once in the spring and once in the summer with a liquid cactus and succulent food diluted to half strength.

Cultivars to Select

The species K. tomentosa bears the same traits as its wild ancestors. Blue-green elliptical foliage with reddish-brown margins are its signature features.

Panda Plant, K. tomentosa

Species pandas are available from CTS Air Plants via Amazon in four-inch starter pots.

In addition to the species plant, there are a few named cultivated varieties with unique features you may like.

Here are a couple of options to consider:

Chocolate Soldier

K. tomentosa ‘Chocolate Soldier’ is a cultivated variety, which features more pointed leaf tips and dark brown, almost black edging.

‘Chocolate Soldier’

‘Chocolate Soldier’ is available via Amazon in two- and four-inch starter pots and two- and four-inch clay pots.

Golden Girl

K. tomentosa ‘Golden Girl’ warms up the foliage, taking it from a cool blue-green to a warm yellow-green, while preserving the classic reddish-brown margins and elliptical leaves.

Maintenance