Kalanchoes

How to choose a kalanchoe

For a silver accent, Silver Spoons forms a shrubby plant about 60cm tall and wide with felted, spoon-shaped leaves that catch the light. Its larger cousin copper spoons (Kalanchoe orgyalis) grows slowly to about 1.2m, with leaves that are copper on top and silver beneath and clusters of yellow flowers in winter. The panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) is the one children reach out to touch: furry grey-green leaves edged in chocolate brown on a 45cm plant, best in a pot where the fur stays dry. Striped kalanchoe (Kalanchoe humilis) is a low rosette to 30cm with purple bands across grey leaves, and Bronze Sculpture is a compact upright form with bronze-toned foliage to about 60cm.

Where kalanchoes work

Full sun to bright light, in soil or mix that drains in minutes. They belong in rockeries, gravel beds, coastal gardens, dry borders and pots on sunny verandahs, alongside our other succulents. In Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney they grow outdoors all year. In Melbourne, Canberra and frost-prone inland districts they want the shelter of a wall or a pot that comes under cover in winter, because frost blackens the leaves. The felted species dislike wet leaves in humid summers, so in Brisbane and further north give them the airiest spot you have and keep water off the foliage. One drawback worth knowing: kalanchoes are toxic to dogs and cats, so keep them out of reach of a pet that chews.

Planting and spacing

Plant on a slope, a mound or in a raised bed if your soil is heavy, and in pots use a cactus and succulent mix with extra coarse sand or perlite. Space the shrubby forms 50cm to 60cm apart and the rosettes 30cm. Terracotta pots dry faster than glazed ones and suit kalanchoes better. Water in once at planting, then not again until the soil is dry right through.

Care basics

Water deeply but rarely, every two to three weeks in summer and monthly or less in winter. Feed once in spring with a slow-release fertiliser at half the packet rate. Remove spent flower stems and any lower leaves that shrivel. Mealybugs hide between the leaves; dab them with methylated spirits on a cotton bud. Most kalanchoes strike readily from a leaf or a stem cutting left to dry for a few days before it is pushed into dry mix, which is the easiest way to multiply a favourite. Our guide to growing succulents covers soil, light and watering for the whole group.

Common questions

Do kalanchoes flower?

Yes, though the felted kinds are grown for their leaves. Copper spoons produces yellow flowers in winter and spring on mature plants, and the panda plant flowers rarely in cultivation.

Can kalanchoes grow indoors?

On a very sunny windowsill, yes. In an ordinary room they stretch and lose their colour, so treat them as outdoor plants that can visit indoors for a few weeks.

Why are the leaves going soft and brown at the base?

Too much water, or water sitting on the leaves. Let the mix dry out completely, water the soil rather than the plant, and improve the drainage.

Are kalanchoes safe for pets?

No. All parts are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten. Grow them where pets cannot reach, or choose from our plants safe for pets instead.