| Kalanchoes are dependable garden bloomers known | | | | take full sun to part shade in the garden. Outdoors, if |
| for their bright colorful flowers. They're great | | | | it gets over 100 degrees for more than a few days, |
| succulent plants for dry landscapes or as houseplants | | | | or your plants develop brown spots it may be |
| in container gardens indoors. Kalanchoes are in the | | | | getting sunburn. Either move the pots, or provide a |
| Crassulaceae or, Stonecrop family. Most varieties are | | | | little shade during the hottest part of the day. |
| perennial and evergreen. | | | | Indoors they prefer a bright windowsill with lots of |
| One of the most popular form of kalanchoe species | | | | light. Indoors, place plants near a bright window. |
| grown today is kalanchoe blossfeldiana and its many | | | | Kalanchoes are popular gifts during the winter and |
| hybrid plants. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants grow up | | | | make nice housewarming presents. If you are lucky |
| to 2 feet tall and as wide. They have large, leathery | | | | enough to receive one the first thing you might want |
| leaves about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. | | | | to do is see if the soil is dry. If so, give your plant |
| The leaf edges are usually lightly scalloped and may | | | | some water and let it drain in the sink. Then move |
| have a slight tint of red or other color. Some hybrid | | | | them outside if you are in a mild winter area, or to a |
| plants have smooth edges and different colors on | | | | windowsill if it is cold outside. |
| the leaf. | | | | Seeds saved from hybrid plants will not grow out to |
| Flowers bloom in upright, large clusters from 2 to 3 | | | | look the same as the parent plants. It is much easier |
| inches across, and are made up of small daisy like | | | | to propagate kalanchoe with leaf or stem cuttings. |
| flowers of 5 petals. The stamens are usually yellow | | | | Place the cuttings in damp soil, and keep the soil |
| and can stand out brightly depending on the flower | | | | moist for the first two weeks. After that, let the soil |
| color. Flower colors can range from white, yellow, | | | | dry out between waterings. |
| orange, red, pink and everything in between. Flowers | | | | Water requirements are low. They can take average |
| can also be creamy, dreamy pastels, or have flowers | | | | garden water, but will also grow well with much less. |
| with more than one color, but kalanchoe blossfeldiana | | | | In my garden a few plants are out in a section with |
| are mainly known for neon bright colors. These | | | | the natives and other drought tolerant plants and |
| drought tolerant plants make a bold statement in the | | | | they do quite well. To avoid root rot, let the soil dry |
| garden with their glowing, bright flower colors. Bloom | | | | out before you water them again. |
| is heaviest in spring, but they can bloom all year with | | | | Kalanchoe plants also do well in container gardens. |
| a little feeding of fertilizer after the first bloom. | | | | Since they can handle drought, they are a bit more |
| Care of kalanchoes outdoors is easy in mild winter | | | | forgiving than other plants if you forget to water |
| areas. They are hardy to USDA Zone 10b, or 35 | | | | them! They look great on the patio or as a focal |
| degrees, (Sunset Zone: 17, 21-24), These plants can | | | | point on your table. |