Kalanchoe beharensis
| Light | Bright light to full sun; tolerates light shade but colours and felt best in strong light |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderately in growth, letting the soil dry between waterings; keep nearly dry in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Frost-tender; keep above about 5 °C, USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Stem and leaf cuttings (see Propagation — cuttings) |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten (like other Kalanchoe); the genus is known for cardiac glycosides (bufadienolides) |
Kalanchoe beharensis is a large, shrubby succulent from southern Madagascar, grown for its big, arrow-shaped leaves that are thickly coated in soft, velvety felt. In habitat it becomes a sparse small tree on a stout, knobbly stem, and its wavy-edged, bronze-to-silvery leaves have earned it the common names felt bush and elephant's ears kalanchoe. It is one of the most striking foliage plants in the genus Kalanchoe.
Description
Kalanchoe beharensis is among the largest of the kalanchoes, in time forming a woody, sparingly branched shrub or small tree well over a metre tall — considerably more in the ground in a frost-free climate. The stem is stout and roughened by the raised, corky leaf scars left as old foliage drops, giving mature plants a gnarled, almost sculptural look.
The leaves are the main attraction: large and triangular to lance-shaped, with wavy, scalloped margins that give them a crumpled or "elephant-ear" appearance. Both surfaces are densely covered in fine hairs (trichomes) that produce a soft, felt-like texture and a colour ranging from silvery grey-green through olive to a warm coppery bronze, depending on light and on the form grown. New growth is clustered toward the branch tips, so the plant carries its foliage in a loose rosette-like crown atop bare stems.
Established plants may produce small, urn-shaped yellow-green flowers in branched clusters, though flowering is incidental — the species is grown almost entirely for its foliage.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the dry south of Madagascar, in the region around Behara from which its name comes. There it grows in hot, seasonally arid spiny thicket and dry scrub, on well-drained ground, enduring long dry periods and strong sun. Like most Madagascan succulents it is adapted to a distinct wet-and-dry seasonal rhythm rather than steady moisture.
Cultivation
Kalanchoe beharensis is an easy and fast grower given warmth, light and sharp drainage. Grow it in a gritty, free-draining mix in a pot with good drainage, and give it as much bright light as you can — strong light keeps the growth compact and deepens the felted colouring, while too little light produces pale, stretched, floppy stems (etiolation).
Water moderately through the warm growing season, letting the mix dry appreciably between waterings, and cut back to almost nothing in the cool months when the plant is resting. It is frost-tender: protect it from freezing and, in cold climates, grow it in a container that can move indoors or under glass for winter. The soft felt does not like to sit wet, so avoid splashing the foliage and give it good air movement. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
As a shrubby species it can be pruned to keep it manageable; the cut tips root easily and give more plants.
Propagation
Propagation is simple and vegetative. Stem cuttings root readily once the cut end has been allowed to callus for a few days; even whole leaves, or sections of leaf, laid on a barely moist gritty surface will often form plantlets and roots at the base. Keep cuttings warm, bright and on the dry side until they are established. See Propagation — cuttings and Propagation — leaf for full walkthroughs.
Cultivars
Several selected forms are grown, differing mainly in leaf colour, size and hairiness. Compact and more intensely coloured selections (sometimes sold under names such as Fang, noted for pronounced tubercle "teeth" on the leaf undersides, or dwarf silvery forms) are popular where a smaller, more manageable plant is wanted. Because these are grown for foliage character, they are maintained from cuttings to stay true.
Common problems
- Rot — from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or water sitting in the crown; the stem softens and blackens.
- Etiolation — too little light gives weak, elongated stems and pale, widely spaced leaves.
- Pests — mealybugs can hide in the leaf axils and among the felt, and the fine hairs can make them awkward to spot; watch also for aphids on new growth. See Pests and diseases.
- Cold damage — even a light frost blackens the foliage, so err on the side of protection.
See also
- Kalanchoe — the genus overview
- Propagation — cuttings · Propagation — leaf · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting