Kalanchoeplants are known for their tiny flowers and oval-shaped, scallop-edged leaves.
It grows clusters of tiny flowers in red, pink, yellow, orange, and white.
In tropical and subtropical climates, it can be grown outdoors as a perennial.
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In colder climates, it’s typically grown as an indoor plant.
With the right care, it can rebloom indoors for decades.
Be careful keeping it with pets though, since the plant is toxic to cats and dogs when eaten.
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Kalanchoe Care
Caring for kalanchoe is easy with a few basic tips and the right conditions.
Plant outdoor kalanchoes inpartial shade to full sun.
Leggy stems are a sign that the plant isn’t receiving enough light.
The Spruce / Photo Illustration by Amy Sheehan / Alonda Baird
Soil
Outdoors, a kalanchoe plant grows best in well-draining, loamy or sandy soil.
Let the soil dry out completely in between waterings to help preventroot rot.
Temperature and Humidity
Generally, your kalanchoe will thrive at temperatures between 55F and 80F.
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Kalanchoe plants are not fussy about humidity.
Fertilizer
Like most flowering plants, kalanchoe benefits from fertilizer, though they’s not heavy feeders.
Garden-grown plants require only a single light feeding in the spring.
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If flowering is sparse, switch to a fertilizer that is higher in phosphorus.
Kalanchoes grown outdoors tend to grow more quickly because they’re in brighter conditions.
The Spruce / Photo Illustration by Amy Sheehan / Alonda Baird
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Trim off any dead flowers to keep the plant looking neat and encourage new growth.
This is especially important to do during the plant’s resting period in late winter and early spring.
Pests to Watch
As new leaves come in on a kalanchoe plant, watch out for aphids.
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These insects love to feed on young leaves.
Check the undersides, and if present remove them with a spray of water.
Propagating Kalanchoe
The growing offsets will draw energy away from the mother kalanchoe plant.
Besides propagating the offsets, you’re able to also take stem cuttings.
Here’s how to take stem cuttings and propagate kalanchoe offsets.
Repotting once a year should be fine.
The best time to repot a kalanchoe is in the fall after the plant is finished blooming.
Choose a well-draining pot, with at least one drainage hole.
Bring them indoors when temperatures begin to dip in late summer or early fall.
In colder climates, however, they won’t survive frost damage.
you could use a grow light if needed.
Kalanchoe plants need less water in winter than they do in spring or summer.
Allow the soil to dry out fully between waterings.
Moving Kalanchoe Outside
you might take your kalanchoe outside once nighttime temperatures are above 65F.
The best outdoor location is a spot that gets morning sun and is protected from afternoon light.
Blooms can recur throughout much of the year if you control its exposure to light.
With the proper care and environment, kalanchoes can bloom year-round indoors.
Kalanchoes require bright sunlight during the day to bloom properly.
Harsh direct sunlight can actually inhibit blooming, so bright, indirect light is ideal.
For best performance, keep these plants at temperatures above 50F.
Wilting
Temperatures that are too high can cause leaves to wilt.
Ideally, keep these plants below 80F.
Drab or Burned Leaves
Proper light exposure is key to good-looking plants.
Too little light and the leaves will lose the trademark glossy green.
Too much direct sunlight and it’s possible for you to expect burned leaves.
Excessive water can easily cause root and stem rot with these plants.
If you see this problem beginning, withhold water until the plant recovers.
Without this reset period, the plants usually fail to bloom again.
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Kalanchoe can live for decades if its basic needs are met.
There are many cases of century-old potted kalanchoe plants.
On a patio, kalanchoes are often planted with sedums and other creeping plants.
With proper care, even kalanchoe grown indoors will rebloom annually.
Kalanchoe usually blooms just once a year for a few months in late winter or early spring.
Outdoors it might bloom more often.
Kalanchoe beharensis.Missouri Botanical Garden.
