On a small, upright plant approximately 6-12 inches tall, kalanchoe flower heads bloom in vibrant oranges, pinks, yellow, red, and white. The flowers last for months, while the green plants look good all year.
The most popular kalanchoe variety is K. blossfeldana, although there are many more to select from, including pendant (hanging) variations and nonflowering cultivars grown for their distinctive leaf. Growing conditions are the same for all kalanchoes.
Kalanchoe Growing Tips
Kalanchoes are low-maintenance plants that thrive in low-humidity environments like winter homes. Choose Kalanchoe plants with a lot of unopened flower buds instead of ones that are fully bloomed, and be sure to offer them:
Kalanches require a lot of light in the winter, particularly from a south-facing window, and intense indirect light (from an east/west window) in the summer. It’s likely that your Kalanchoe plant isn’t getting enough light if it’s lanky and thin.
Soil: Kalanchoe plants thrive in a well-draining cactus and succulent potting mix, or add plenty of perlite or sand to promote drainage.
Temperature: Kalanchoes perform well in average household temperatures, although drafts should be avoided. Keep your kalanchoe above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Overwatering is the most common cause of kalanchoe death! Between waterings, let your kalanchoe dry out. Then, after properly watering until it runs out the bottom, empty the drainage tray. It’s never a good idea to leave the plant submerged in water.
Fertilizer: Feed your kalanchoe with a balanced organic fertilizer every few weeks while it is blooming.
Pots: Kalanchoes grow best in clay pots with a drainage tray that can be emptied. They’re little plants that don’t need to be repotted too often.
Summer care: In the summer, you can bring your kalanchoe outside, but make sure it is protected from the rain.
Kalanchoes can be propagated easily from stem or leaf cuttings. Plantlets are produced by some kinds, which can be removed and potted.
To keep your kalanchoe looking tidy, remove any wasted blossoms. Dust can also be removed by wiping or lightly spraying them.
How to Make Kalanchoe Bloom
Many people treat kalanchoes as annuals, discarding them once they’ve bloomed. It takes some discipline to get them to bloom again, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make your kalanchoes bloom on demand! Here are some suggestions for re-blooming your kalanchoe:
Flowering is Light-Dependent: Kalanchoes are photoperiodic, meaning they bloom in reaction to the length of the day. They blossom in the early springtime. Six weeks of simulated winter illumination conditions are required to force your plant to set bloom buds.
Put your plant in complete darkness for 14 hours a day and brilliant light for 10 hours a day for six weeks to simulate night. To obtain complete darkness, you can bring it in and out of a closet or use a cover. When you observe blossom buds opening after six weeks or so, you can move your plant back into regular light conditions and continue watering. Check out our articles on how to grow poinsettias and Christmas cactus for more information on photoperiodic blooming.
Is a kalanchoe plant indoor or outdoor?
One of the more attractive flowering succulent houseplants, Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe spp. ), is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 to 12. If properly cared for, they can produce months of brilliant flowers when kept inside.
Do kalanchoe come back every year?
Despite the fact that kalanchoe plants are technically perennials, they are sometimes viewed as disposable annuals that are discarded once the blossoms fade. It can, however, be forced to bloom once more.
Kalanchoe plants typically bloom from the summer through the fall. The blooms come in a variety of colors, including red, orange, yellow, and purple, and create small clusters that seem like miniature bouquets. It has thick, oval-shaped leaves, which are typical of succulent plants.
Kalanchoes are commonly cultivated in pots as a vividly colored houseplant, but if you live in the correct climate, it can also be utilized as a landscape plant. Kalanchoe plants thrive in low humidity, bright light, and well-drained soil, both indoors and out.
Are kalanchoe easy to care for?
Kalanchoes are low-maintenance houseplants that require little attention. Provide them with a bright, sunny location. Wait till the top few cm have dried off before watering them. Remove the faded blooms by deadheading them.
How long will a kalanchoe live?
As long as you provide adequate nutrients and water for your kalanchoe to thrive, it will continue to grow. These plants can live for six or seven years, but they can get lanky in pots as they become older.
How often should kalanchoe be watered?
Kalanchoes are succulents, meaning they store water in their leaves and don’t require continual moisture in the soil. Waterlogged soils will actually cause the stem of your young kalanchoe to rot, which is something you don’t want! Sticking your finger in the dirt every few days is the best way to water a kalanchoe. It’s time to water when the top 2 inches of soil are completely dry (not simply partly dry). Indoors, this means you’ll probably only need to water every 2 or 3 weeks, but keep an eye on it. If the prediction calls for several inches of rain during the summer, be sure to move your kalanchoe undercover. It’s also worth noting that it will grow more slowly in the winter, resulting in even longer time between waterings.
Are Kalanchoes easy?
Kalanchoe – Long-Lasting & Vibrant Blooms The lovely kalanchoe is a wonderful and vibrant houseplant that can brighten your home both inside and out during the holiday season. This Madagascar-native succulent is exceptionally low-maintenance and simple to maintain.
Can kalanchoe go outside?
You can always count on a Mexican to put things in perspective. And he was absolutely correct. Kalanchoe is unquestionably attractive, in a dainty manner, no matter how you say it (and I’ve now discovered that farmers in Niagara also say CHO).
Or, at the very least, it has the potential to be. This plant is classified as a succulent because of its drought-tolerant, fleshy leaves. It is native to Madagascar. In Canada, we’ve always considered it as a completely indoor plant. However, I was never a fan because the sprays of small flowers (usually in a monotonous orange or yellow) would remain for a short time before falling off, and I could never get mine to rebloom.
In fact, Kalanchoe reigned supreme in the annoying houseplant department. I’d be wealthy if I had a dollar for every specimen purchased on impulse and then discarded three months later by an upset owner.
But don’t even think of going inside. During the summer, it’s fashionable to grow these tropical plants outside, in pots or flowerbeds. Surprisingly, cantankerous Kalanchoe performs admirably when given lots of sunlight. The sprays of little flowers can be quite spectacular.
They come in a variety of colors, including stunning pink, cream, scarlet, magenta, and mauve, and they look great alone or paired with other annuals.
This was observed in Mexico, where already-blooming Kalanchoe flats outshone even the most vibrant cannas and begonias at the vivero. However, sales of Kalanchoes for the garden are already brisk in Europe, which is always one step ahead of us when it comes to gardening trends. They’ve become the “in” thing to grow in France, Germany, and Switzerland, and they took the top rank in Denmark last year.
How big does a kalanchoe plant get?
A succulent perennial that grows to be 12 inches tall and wide with an upright to rounded growth style. The leaves are oval to oblong in shape, medium to dark green in color, thick, with rounded to toothed edges, and reach a length and width of 3 inches.