The little blooms and oval-shaped, scallop-edged leaves of kalanchoe plants are well-known. In the genus, kalanchoes have more than 100 species, however the most common variety for indoor use is kalanchoe blossfeldiana, also known as window’s thrill. Tiny red, pink, yellow, orange, and white flower clusters are produced by it.
Because kalanchoes tolerate drought well and are relatively easy to grow—they may require watering just once every two weeks under the correct conditions—they are popular houseplants. It is a perennial that can be grown outdoors in tropical and subtropical climes. It is usually grown as an indoor plant in colder climates. It can rebloom indoors for decades with proper care. However, take caution when keeping it with pets, as the plant is poisonous to dogs and cats if consumed.
Kalanchoe Plant Overview
| Common Name | Kalanchoe, flaming Katy, florists kalanchoe, Christmas kalanchoe |
| Botanical Name | Kalanchoe blossfeldiana |
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Plant Type | Perennial, succulent |
| Mature Size | 6–18 in. tall and wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun, partial shade |
| Soil type | Sandy, well-drained |
| Soil pH | Acidic, neutral, slightly alkaline |
| Bloom Time | Seasonal bloomer |
| Flower Color | Yellow, red, orange, salmon, pink, white |
| Hardiness Zones | 10–12 (USDA) |
| Native Area | Africa (Madagascar) |
| Toxicity | Toxic to pets |
Kalanchoe Plant Care
With the correct circumstances and a few basic guidelines, caring for kalanchoe is simple. Growing kalanchoe requires the following main conditions:
- Use a loose, loamy, sandy, well-drained potting media, such as cactus mix or succulent soil, to plant kalanchoe.
- Kalanchoe should be placed inside in a warm area with indirect, bright light. or set it outside in a full sun spot protected from the late afternoon sun.
- When watering kalanchoe plants, let them dry up entirely.
- In the spring and summer, fertilize indoor kalanchoe plants once a month.
Light Requirements
Indoor plants of kalanchoes thrive in bright, indirect light. Plant kalanchoes outdoors in either full sun or partial shade. It’s best to give it some afternoon shade when planted in full sun to avoid scorching. A plant that has lanky stems isn’t getting enough light.
Soil
A kalanchoe plant thrives in sandy or loamy soil that drains well when planted outside. Potted indoor plants need to be in a well-draining porous mixture, such as 60% potting soil and 40% perlite, or 50% potting soil and 50% cactus mix.
For optimal drainage and to prevent an excessively damp atmosphere, plant your kalanchoe in a clay pot that can aid in drawing out extra moisture from the soil.
Watering
This hardy plant needs very little water; it just has to be saturated every few weeks or so (and even less frequently in the winter). To assist avoid root rot, let the soil completely dry out in between waterings.
Temperature and Environment
In general, an ideal temperature range for kalanchoe is between 55°F and 80°F. All you need to do to produce an appropriate indoor atmosphere is shield it from the frost. Humidity is not a big deal for kalanchoe plants.
As outdoor garden plants, kalanchoes are temperature-sensitive and will not grow outside of USDA hardiness zones 10 to 12.
Fertilization
Although kalanchoes are not heavy feeders, they do benefit from fertilizer, just like most other flowering plants. Plants cultivated in gardens only need to be fed once in the spring, lightly. In the spring and summer, indoor plants should be given a monthly feeding with a well-balanced fertilizer blend; however, this should not be done in the winter. Change to a fertilizer with more phosphorus if there is little or no blossoming.
Growth Rate
In general, kalanchoes grow slowly; it usually takes them two to five years to achieve full maturity. When fully grown, “Flaming Katy,” one of the most popular kalanchoes, stands around 12 inches tall. When fully grown, paddle plants can reach heights of over two feet, while velvet-leaf kalanchoe and cathedral bells can reach heights of five or six feet indoors.
Growing kalanchoes outside under brighter conditions causes them to grow faster.
Types of Kalanchoe
K. manginii: This species, commonly called the chandelier plant, has huge suspended blooms that resemble bells and thick leaves. It takes moist air for flowers to bloom.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana: Thanks to the tiny plantlets that sprout along the edges of its leaves, this type of kalanchoe is frequently referred to as the “mother of thousands.”
K. porphyrocalyx: This species, also called pearl bells, has purple hanging blooms and thin, rectangular leaves.
Kalanchoe delagoensis: Because of the way its tubular orange blossoms dangle down from the top of its stalks, this kalanchoe plant is also known as the chandelier plant.
K. beharensis: USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11 are suitable for this type of kalanchoe, often known as velvet-leaf kalanchoe. It is highly valued for its big, fluffy, pale silvery green leaves.
Kalanchoe luciae: This kalanchoe, a popular houseplant, got its nickname from its flat, spherical leaves that turn red around the edges in the winter.
K. pinnata: This variety of kalanchoe, often known as cathedral bells, features tiny plantlets around the borders of its fleshy green leaves.
Kalanchoe tomentosa: This kalanchoe, often called the chocolate soldier or panda plant, has thick, fluffy leaves with brown patches along the margins and a hint of blue.
Pruning
A kalanchoe plant can retain its shape and encourage more vigorous blooming by pinching back its stems. To maintain the plant’s clean appearance and promote new development, trim off any dead blossoms. It is especially crucial that you take care of this in late winter and early spring, when the plant is resting.
Propagating Kalanchoe Plant
The mother kalanchoe plant will lose energy as a result of the growing offsets. You can get multiple additional plants by keeping the mother plant healthy by pruning and propagating the offsets.
In addition to taking stem cuttings, you can propagate the offsets. This is how offset kalanchoes are propagated using stem cuttings.
- Cut a section of stem, several inches long, from a fully grown plant with clippers or a clean, sharp knife. Remove the offset at the point where it joins the parent plant if you’re going to use one.
- After a few days, or until the end seems to have healed shut and calloused over, let the cutting dry out.
- Apply a rooting hormone to the cutting’s calloused ends.
- Plant the cutting in soil that is made up of the same mixture as the mother plant was grown in.
- After planting, keep the cutting dry and in bright indirect light. After a month, the stem should take root and you may treat it like a regular kalanchoe plant.
Potting and Repotting Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe plants actually do best when they are periodically repotted, in contrast to plants that like to be potbound. Repot your kalanchoe every autumn after it has flowered for optimal results. By doing this, you can promote new growth and make the plant look fuller. Every time you repot, enlarge the container by one size. But, you can leave your plant in the same pot and simply add more dirt if its roots aren’t filling the pot.
Ensure that the pot you use can drain thoroughly. Because clay is porous and will help keep the soil somewhat dry, it’s a smart option.
Overwintering Kalanchoe
If the temperature drops below 60°F at night, you can move indoor kalanchoe plants to the outside in colder locations. When the late summer or early fall temperatures start to drop, bring them inside. As a general guideline, when overnight lows fall below 55°F, bring your kalanchoe indoors to avoid its potential death from exposure to temperatures below freezing (32°F).
Even if their foliage dies back, kalanchoe plants may frequently withstand a winter in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. But in colder climes, they will not withstand damage from frost.
Keep your kalanchoe by a window that faces west or south or any other bright source of indirect light during the winter. If necessary, you can utilize a grow lamp.
Winter water requirements for kalanchoe plants are lower than those of spring or summer. Give the soil time to completely dry out in between waterings.
How to Get Kalanchoe to Bloom?
How to Keep Kalanchoe Blooming?
Your kalanchoe plant should be placed where it receives at least 6 to 8 hours of bright light per day in order for it to bloom to its greatest potential. For the remaining hours of the day in the fall and winter, the plant should be in almost complete darkness. For the plant to store energy for more blooms, it needs to be in complete darkness for 14 hours every day for at least six weeks.
You’ll be rewarded with weeks-long bursts of vibrant flowers in the spring, about four months later. If you can regulate its exposure to light, blooms can occur for a large portion of the year.
Indoors, kalanchoes can blossom year-round with the right conditions. For effective blooming, kalanchoes need full sunlight during the day. In fact, bright, indirect light is optimal for blooming because harsh direct sunlight can hinder development.
How to Encourage More Blooms?
Another approach to encourage continuous kalanchoe blossoming is to deadhead the flowers once the blooms have finished. Seek for a fertilizer blend with a high phosphorus content if your plant is having trouble flowering. This will help the plant generate more buds.
Common Problems With Kalanchoe Plant
Although kalanchoe plants are fairly simple to grow, improper watering or excessive temperatures can cause problems for the plants.
Soft, Damaged Blooms and Leaves
Near-freezing conditions can cause plants to have damaged leaves or shortened blooming. Maintain these plants at temperatures over 50°F for optimal results.
Wilting
Overheated temperatures have the potential to make leaves wilt. Keep these plants within or below 80°F ideally.
Drab or Burned Leaves
A healthy dose of light is essential for healthy-looking plants. A lack of light will cause the leaves to lose their characteristic glossy green color. You should expect scorched leaves if there is too much direct sunlight. Indoor kalanchoes thrive in areas with lots of brilliant indirect light and little to no direct sunlight.
Soft, Fragile Stems
Overwatering or growing kalanchoe in a soil medium that retains water are two common issues with the plant. With these plants, over watering can quickly result in root and stem rot. If you notice the start of this issue, stop watering the plant until it heals.
Failure to Bloom
The main reason kalanchoes don’t bloom is that they don’t receive the long winter darkness that the plant needs to restart its bloom cycle. These plants require six weeks of complete darkness every day for the entire length of the night during the winter. In the absence of this restart time, the plants typically don’t blossom once more.