If you’re looking for an attractive plant that’s easy to grow, kalanchoe should be high on your list.  Not only are they hardy, they’re extremely simple to propagate.  And there are so many different varieties, with widely varying growth habits and appearances, that you could easily fill your houseplant collection with nothing but kalanchoe cultivars.

There are, in fact, more than a hundred different species of kalanchoe.  Most are shrubs that grow in upright forms.  Others include smaller shrubs supported by “prop roots”, or are epiphytic.  Some are climbers, but aren’t self-supporting and need to be tied to a support.  And still other kinds form rosettes.  Some kalanchoes have fuzzy leaves, others are shiny; most are succulent.  Most originate in Madagascar, or from the rainforests of Brazil and Southeast Asia.  

The variety of kalanchoe most often grown as a houseplant is Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, named after a German merchant who successfully grew it indoors and marketed it to consumers in the mid 1930’s.  It wasn’t until the 1980’s that nurseries developed the plant into its current form, a compact variety with lush foliage, strong stems, and lots of flowers in yellow, red, orange, white, or purple. 

If given the proper treatment, this variety is very reliable.  It needs bright sunlight, even moisture, and moderate temperatures.  It’s very sensitive to cold, so keep it away from drafts and make sure it doesn’t stay outside too long in the autumn.  These kalanchoes prefer to be alone in pots, and the larger the pot, the larger the leaves will grow.  They do tend to get a bit leggy, meaning that the stems grow long and lanky with few leaves.  Solve this by pinching the tips occasionally, and the plant will grow bushier. 

To propagate, (this is just too easy!) break off a stem and poke it in a pot of moist soil.  That’s it! 

Another popular variety of Kalanchoe is called “Mother of Thousands”, or “Mexican Hat Plant.”  It grows on upright stems, and produces baby plantlets on the edges of its leaves.  These drop off and, if they fall onto the soil, root into new plants.  Care requirements are the same.

Temperature:  50 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  Keep away from cold drafts and especially temperatures below freezing.

Light:  At least four hours of full sun per day, or 12 hours of artificial light.

Water:  Soil should be well-drained, but keep moist.

Humidity:  Can tolerate low humidity, but prefers higher.

Re-potting:  Rarely needs re-potting; plant will grow to fit the size of the pot, prefers to have its own pot. 

Propagation:  roots easily from stems or leaves, in moist potting soil.

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