Kalanchoes, also known as flaming Katy, florist kalanchoe, or Christmas kalanchoe, are popular succulents loved for their vibrant, long-lasting blooms and easy-care nature. Belonging to the Crassulaceae family and botanically named Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, these perennials are native to Madagascar and thrive in warm, sunny environments. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, understanding the basics of Kalanchoe Care will ensure your plant flourishes, bringing color and joy to your indoor or outdoor space.
Optimal Growing Conditions for Kalanchoe
Caring for a kalanchoe plant is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for those seeking low-maintenance beauty. To ensure your kalanchoe thrives, focus on replicating its native environment. Here are the key conditions to consider:
- Potting Mix: Use a well-draining mix, ideally a succulent or cactus potting mix. You can also create your own by combining potting soil with sand or perlite to enhance drainage.
- Light: Kalanchoes love bright light. Indoors, place them near a sunny window that provides bright, indirect light. Outdoors, they thrive in full sun to partial shade, but protection from harsh afternoon sun is beneficial to prevent leaf scorch.
- Watering: One of the most crucial aspects of kalanchoe care is proper watering. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Overwatering is a common mistake that can lead to root rot.
- Fertilizing: While not heavy feeders, kalanchoes benefit from occasional fertilization. Feed indoor kalanchoes monthly during the spring and summer growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.
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Vibrant Kalanchoe Blossoms: Close-up view showcasing the bright and cheerful flowers of a healthy kalanchoe plant, highlighting its appeal as a decorative houseplant.
Light Requirements for Healthy Kalanchoe Growth
Light is a critical factor in kalanchoe care, influencing both growth and blooming.
Indoor Light: For indoor kalanchoes, bright, indirect light is ideal. A south or west-facing window that receives plenty of light throughout the day is a great location. If your kalanchoe’s stems become leggy, it’s a sign that it’s not receiving enough light and needs to be moved to a brighter spot.
Outdoor Light: When growing kalanchoes outdoors, aim for a location with partial shade to full sun. While they can tolerate full sun, especially in the morning, providing some afternoon shade, particularly in hotter climates, will prevent leaf burn.
Soil and Drainage for Kalanchoe Plants
Proper soil and drainage are essential to prevent root rot, a common issue with succulents like kalanchoes.
Soil Mix: Outdoors, well-draining, sandy or loamy soil is best. For indoor kalanchoes, use a porous potting mix. A good homemade mix consists of 50% potting soil and 50% cactus mix, or 60% potting soil and 40% perlite. These mixes ensure adequate drainage and aeration for the roots.
Pot Type: Consider using a clay pot for your kalanchoe. Clay pots are porous, which helps wick away excess moisture from the soil, further reducing the risk of overwatering and root rot. Ensure any pot you choose has drainage holes at the bottom.
Watering Kalanchoe: Finding the Right Balance
Watering is where many kalanchoe owners can go wrong. These succulents are drought-tolerant and prefer to dry out between waterings.
Watering Frequency: Water your kalanchoe thoroughly only when the soil is completely dry. In practice, this might mean watering every few weeks, and even less frequently during the winter months when the plant’s growth slows down.
Signs of Overwatering: Yellowing or mushy leaves are common signs of overwatering. If you notice these symptoms, reduce your watering frequency and ensure the plant is in well-draining soil and a pot with drainage holes.
Signs of Underwatering: While more tolerant of underwatering, prolonged dryness can lead to wrinkled or shriveled leaves. If the leaves appear limp and the soil is bone dry, it’s time to water.
Temperature and Humidity Needs
Kalanchoes are not particularly demanding when it comes to temperature and humidity.
Temperature Range: They thrive in average room temperatures, ideally between 55°F and 80°F (13°C to 27°C). Protect them from frost and temperatures below 50°F (10°C), as they are not cold-hardy.
Humidity: Kalanchoes are not fussy about humidity levels. Average household humidity is generally sufficient. They do not require misting or any special humidity care.
Hardiness Zones: As outdoor plants, kalanchoes are best suited for USDA hardiness zones 10-12, where temperatures remain mild year-round. In colder zones, they are primarily grown as houseplants or annuals.
Fertilizing Kalanchoe for Optimal Blooms
While kalanchoes can survive without much feeding, fertilizing can encourage healthier growth and more abundant blooms.
Fertilizer Type: Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength, or a fertilizer specifically formulated for succulents. If you want to encourage more blooms, you can switch to a fertilizer higher in phosphorus.
Fertilizing Schedule: For garden-grown kalanchoes, a single light feeding in the spring is usually sufficient. Indoor kalanchoes benefit from monthly feeding during the spring and summer growing season. Do not fertilize during the winter months when the plant is in a period of dormancy.
Kalanchoe Growth Rate and Size
Kalanchoes are relatively slow-growing succulents.
Growth Rate: It typically takes between two to five years for a kalanchoe to reach its mature size.
Mature Size: The common Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Flaming Katy’ usually reaches about 12 inches in height. However, other varieties, like paddle plant (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora) and cathedral bells (Kalanchoe pinnata), can grow much larger, reaching up to 2 feet or even 5-6 feet tall under optimal conditions. Kalanchoes tend to grow faster outdoors due to brighter light conditions.
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Kalanchoe Care Essentials: An illustrative guide summarizing key care tips for kalanchoe plants, covering light, watering, soil, and temperature for optimal growth.
Exploring Different Types of Kalanchoe
The Kalanchoe genus is diverse, offering a variety of shapes, sizes, and flower colors. Here are some popular types:
- Kalanchoe manginii (Chandelier Plant): Known for its bell-shaped, pendant flowers and fleshy leaves. Requires slightly more moisture in the air to bloom well.
- Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Mother of Thousands): Unique for the tiny plantlets that develop along the leaf edges.
- Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx (Pearl Bells): Features slender leaves and distinctive purple, pendant flowers.
- Kalanchoe delagoensis (Chandelier Plant): Similar to K. manginii but with tubular orange flowers.
- Kalanchoe beharensis (Velvet Leaf Kalanchoe): Prized for its large, fuzzy, silvery-green leaves. Hardy in zones 9-11.
- Kalanchoe luciae (Flapjack Plant): Popular houseplant with flat, rounded leaves that can develop red edges in cooler temperatures.
- Kalanchoe pinnata (Cathedral Bells): Features fleshy leaves and plantlets along leaf margins, similar to K. daigremontiana.
- Kalanchoe tomentosa (Panda Plant/Chocolate Soldier): Recognizable by its fuzzy, thick leaves with brown spots at the tips.
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Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana Variety: Showcasing the classic florist kalanchoe, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, with its signature vibrant and clustered flower heads in a pot.
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Kalanchoe Porphyrocalyx in Bloom: A photograph highlighting the unique pearl-like, bell-shaped purple flowers of the Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx, adding a touch of elegance.
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Velvet-Leaf Kalanchoe Beharensis: Image capturing the textured, velvety leaves of Kalanchoe beharensis, known for its foliage interest rather than flowers.
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Cathedral Bells Kalanchoe Pinnata: Picture of Kalanchoe pinnata displaying its characteristic foliage and plantlets along the leaf margins, showcasing its propagation method.
Pruning and Maintenance for Kalanchoe
Regular pruning helps maintain the shape of your kalanchoe and encourages more blooms.
Pinching and Trimming: Pinching back stem tips encourages bushier growth. Remove spent flowers (deadheading) to keep the plant tidy and promote further blooming. Pruning is especially beneficial during the plant’s resting period in late winter and early spring.
Common Pests and Issues
Kalanchoes are generally pest-resistant, but aphids can sometimes be a problem.
Aphids: Keep an eye out for aphids, especially on new growth. These small insects tend to cluster on young leaves. If you spot aphids, spray them off with a strong stream of water.
Propagating Kalanchoe: Expanding Your Collection
Kalanchoes are easy to propagate, allowing you to create new plants from cuttings or offsets.
Stem Cuttings:
- Take a stem cutting several inches long from a mature plant using a clean, sharp knife or pruning shears.
- Allow the cutting to callous over for a few days until the cut end dries and heals.
- Dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder (optional but helpful).
- Plant the cutting in a well-draining succulent mix.
- Place in bright, indirect light and avoid watering until roots develop (usually within a month).
Offsets: Some kalanchoe varieties, like K. daigremontiana, produce offsets (small plantlets) readily. Simply remove these offsets at the joint where they connect to the parent plant and plant them in succulent mix, following steps 4 and 5 for stem cuttings.
Potting and Repotting Kalanchoe
Kalanchoes benefit from regular repotting, unlike some plants that prefer to be root-bound.
Repotting Schedule: Repot your kalanchoe annually, ideally in the fall after blooming. This encourages new growth and keeps the plant vigorous.
Pot Size: Increase the pot size by one size each time you repot. If the plant is not root-bound, you can refresh the soil in the same pot.
Potting Mix and Drainage: Always use fresh succulent potting mix when repotting and ensure the pot has good drainage. Clay pots are a great choice due to their porosity.
Overwintering Kalanchoe for Year-Round Beauty
In regions with cold winters, proper overwintering is crucial for kalanchoes.
Moving Indoors: If you move your kalanchoe outdoors for the summer, bring it back inside when nighttime temperatures start to dip below 55°F (13°C) in late summer or early fall. Kalanchoes are not frost-tolerant and can be damaged or killed by freezing temperatures.
Winter Light and Location: Place your indoor kalanchoe in a bright location, such as a south or west-facing window, to provide sufficient light during the shorter winter days. A grow light can supplement natural light if needed.
Winter Watering: Reduce watering significantly during the winter dormancy period. Allow the soil to dry out thoroughly between waterings.
Moving Kalanchoe Outdoors in Spring/Summer: Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 65°F (18°C), you can gradually reintroduce your kalanchoe to outdoor conditions. Start with a few hours of shade each day and gradually increase sun exposure to avoid leaf scorch. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.
Encouraging Kalanchoe to Bloom
Getting your kalanchoe to bloom again is a rewarding part of kalanchoe care.
Light Cycle for Blooming: Kalanchoes are short-day plants, meaning they need long periods of darkness to initiate blooming. To encourage flowering, provide your kalanchoe with at least 14 hours of complete darkness each night for about 6 weeks, typically in the fall or early winter. During the day, they still need bright, indirect light.
Bright Light During Blooming Season: Once buds appear, ensure the plant receives 6-8 hours of bright, indirect light daily to support blooming. Avoid harsh, direct sunlight, which can inhibit flowering.
Deadheading for Continuous Blooms: Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage more blooms. Removing old flowers directs the plant’s energy towards new flower production.
Phosphorus-Rich Fertilizer: If your kalanchoe is reluctant to bloom, using a fertilizer higher in phosphorus can help stimulate bud formation.
Common Kalanchoe Problems and Solutions
Kalanchoes are generally easy to grow, but some issues can arise due to improper care.
Soft, Damaged Blooms and Leaves: This is usually a sign of cold damage. Protect kalanchoes from temperatures below 50°F (10°C).
Wilting Leaves: Overly high temperatures can cause wilting. Keep the plant in temperatures below 80°F (27°C).
Drab or Burned Leaves: Insufficient light leads to dull leaves, while too much direct sun causes leaf burn. Provide bright, indirect light indoors.
Soft, Fragile Stems: Overwatering and poorly draining soil are the main culprits for soft stems and root rot. Allow the soil to dry out and use a well-draining potting mix.
Failure to Bloom: Lack of a proper dark period in the winter is the most common reason for failure to bloom. Ensure your kalanchoe receives at least 14 hours of complete darkness for 6 weeks to reset its bloom cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kalanchoe Care
How long can a kalanchoe live?
With proper care, kalanchoes can live for many years, even decades. There are reports of kalanchoes living for over a century!
Is kalanchoe best as an indoor or outdoor plant?
Kalanchoes are primarily grown as houseplants. In USDA zones 10-12, they can thrive outdoors year-round. In other zones, they can be moved outdoors during the warmer months.
Do kalanchoe plants work well in mixed containers?
Yes, kalanchoes can be incorporated into mixed succulent containers with plants like aloe and jade. They are also often planted alone in pots or combined with sedums and creeping plants in patio containers.
Do kalanchoe plants grow back every year?
Yes, kalanchoes are perennial succulents and will grow back each year as long as they are protected from frost and their basic needs are met. Indoor kalanchoes will typically rebloom annually with proper care.
Where should you place a kalanchoe plant?
For optimal light, place your kalanchoe near a south or west-facing window where it will receive bright, indirect light.
By following these comprehensive kalanchoe care tips, you can enjoy the beauty and vibrancy of these delightful succulents for years to come. Whether you choose a classic Flaming Katy or a unique variety like Panda Plant, kalanchoes are sure to bring a touch of effortless elegance to your home or garden.
