Silver Spoons Kalanchoe

Silver Spoons Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe 'Silver Spoons') is grown for its foliage, not its flowers. Thick, spoon shaped leaves carry a fine silver grey felt that holds colour through the hottest part of summer, on a tidy plant about 0.6m high and wide. Against green foliage or dark mulch it reads almost white, which is the point of it: a succulent that brings light into a bed without a flower.

Why you'll love it

• Silver every month of the year. The colour sits in the leaf coating rather than a seasonal flush, so it looks the same in July as in January.
• Genuinely drought tolerant. Once established it lives on rainfall in most warm districts, so it suits the strip of garden you keep forgetting to water.
• Heat and salt are not a problem. It takes reflected heat off paving, and enough salt for a coastal courtyard.
• Compact and predictable. At 0.6m by 0.6m it stays in scale in a pot or a border and does not sprawl into its neighbours.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. One plant fills a 300mm pot and looks deliberate on its own, and three matched pots make a low water way to dress a hard edge.

Rockeries, borders and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart. The plants meet within a season or two and hold a continuous silver mat that keeps weeds down, and sharp drainage on a slope suits it.

Growing Silver Spoons Kalanchoe in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade. The silver is brightest and the plant most compact in full sun; in deeper shade it stretches and dulls towards grey green. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, mediterranean and arid districts. It is frost tender, so where frosts are regular, grow it in a pot you can move under cover.

Soil and water. Free draining is not negotiable, and sandy or gritty ground is ideal. On heavier soil plant on a raised mound, or use a cactus and succulent mix in a pot. Water deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry between waterings and cutting back through winter, because cold wet roots kill these plants.

Feeding and flowers. A light dose of controlled release fertiliser in early spring is all it wants, since heavy feeding produces soft, leggy growth and weaker colour. This is a foliage selection that rarely flowers in cultivation, so buy it for the leaf.

Pets. Kalanchoe species contain cardiac glycosides and are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. If you have an animal that chews plants, keep this one raised or out of reach.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: a 140mm pack of ten, a 200mm pack of six, and a single 300mm plant. The 140mm pack is the value option for mass planting, covering around 1.6 square metres at 40cm spacing. A 300mm plant is close to mature size and gives a finished pot on day one.

Succulents travel well, and plants are delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. A few lower leaves may drop in transit, which is normal. Hold off watering for a couple of days after planting, then water in once. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A complete guide to growing succulents
• Browse the full succulent range
• Compare drought tolerant plants
• Plants that thrive in containers

Common questions

How often should I water it?

Less often than you expect. A deep soak every three to four weeks in summer and every six to eight in winter suits most gardens. Soft thin leaves mean it is thirsty; mushy leaves mean too much water.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Kalanchoes contain cardiac glycosides and are toxic to both. Plant it where pets cannot reach it, or choose a different silver foliage plant for an accessible bed.

How many do I need for a groundcover?

About six plants per square metre at 40cm spacing. A pack of ten covers roughly 1.6 square metres and closes over in one to two seasons.