Kalanchoe
The supermarket succulent with clusters of tiny red, orange, pink or yellow flowers that last for weeks. Easy to keep, hard to re-flower without a trick, and toxic to pets.
Kalanchoe is the flowering plant sold everywhere from grocery stores to garden centres, and most people throw it away when the flowers fade. You do not have to. It is a succulent, it is easy, and with a little darkness in autumn it flowers again every year.
Keep it away from cats and dogs; it is one of the more seriously toxic houseplants for pets.
Light
Bright light with some direct sun. An east or south window. It flowers best with a few hours of sun a day and gets leggy in dim light. Hot afternoon summer sun can scorch the fleshy leaves.
Water
Let the top half of the pot dry out, then water thoroughly. Every ten days in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. It stores water in its leaves and rots if kept wet. Do not let water sit on the flower clusters.
Soil and potting
A succulent mix or potting soil with half perlite. Repot every couple of years in spring, after flowering.
Feeding
A half-strength balanced feed monthly in spring and summer. Stop in autumn while it sets buds.
Propagation
Stem cuttings root easily in dry succulent mix after a couple of days of callousing. Take them in spring or summer.
In a hot, dry home
Comfortable in dry air and unbothered by AC. It flowers reliably in a bright east window here. Keep it out of the hottest west sun in July and August.
Kalanchoe varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
- Orange
Orange flowers.
- Yellow
Yellow flowers.
- Pink
Pink flowers.
- Purple
Purple flowers.
- Red
Red flowers.
- Candy Cane
Striped pink-and-white flowers.
- Chocolate Soldier (tomentosa)
The panda plant: fuzzy silver leaves tipped in brown. Grown for foliage.
Problems and fixes
No flowers the second year
Likely cause: It needs short days to set buds
Fix: From October, give it fourteen hours of complete darkness a night for six weeks, in a closet or under a box. Buds follow.
Leggy stems, small leaves
Likely cause: Not enough light
Fix: Move into brighter light and pinch the tips.
Soft, yellowing leaves
Likely cause: Overwatering
Fix: Let it dry out fully. Improve drainage.
White powder on leaves
Likely cause: Powdery mildew from poor airflow
Fix: Improve air movement, water at the soil, and remove affected leaves.
Kalanchoe questions
Is kalanchoe toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes, and more seriously than most houseplants. It contains cardiac glycosides that affect the heart. Keep it well away from pets and call a vet if one eats it.
How do I get my kalanchoe to flower again?
Give it six weeks of long nights in autumn: fourteen hours of complete darkness each night, then bright days. Buds form and it flowers in winter.
How often should I water kalanchoe?
Every ten days in summer and every two to three weeks in winter, when the top half of the pot is dry.
Plants with a similar rhythm
Flapjack
- Light
- Bright indirect to direct sun
- Water
- Every 2 weeks
- Pets
- Toxic
Jade Plant
- Light
- Bright indirect to direct sun
- Water
- Every 2 weeks
- Pets
- Toxic
