Kalanchoe daigremontiana
| Light | Bright light to full sun; tolerates a wide range indoors |
|---|---|
| Water | Water when the soil has dried; reduce sharply in winter |
| Soil | Free-draining succulent mix with plenty of grit |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; frost-tender, USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Plantlets (offsets) that root themselves; also stem cuttings and seed |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats, dogs and livestock if eaten (contains cardiac glycosides) |
Kalanchoe daigremontiana is a fast-growing, upright succulent from Madagascar, instantly recognised by the rows of tiny, fully-formed plantlets that line the edges of its leaves. Each of these bejewelled bulbils drops to the ground already sprouting roots and leaves, so a single plant can seed a whole windowsill — a habit that has earned it the common name mother of thousands. It is one of the most enthusiastically self-propagating members of the genus Kalanchoe, and is also grown (and sometimes cursed) under the older name Bryophyllum daigremontianum.
Description
Kalanchoe daigremontiana grows as a mostly unbranched, erect stem reaching around half a metre to a metre tall in good conditions. The leaves are fleshy, elongated and boat-shaped, blue-green above with irregular purple-brown mottling on the underside, and their margins are neatly toothed. It is in the notches between these teeth that the plant's signature feature appears: dozens of miniature plantlets, each a perfect clone with its own pair of leaves and dangling aerial roots.
Mature plants may eventually produce a tall flowering stalk topped with clusters of small, bell-shaped, greyish-pink flowers that hang downward. Flowering is not the main event, however — most growers know the species entirely by its foliage and its relentless offspring.
The plant contains cardiac glycosides (bufadienolides) throughout its tissues, making it toxic to pets, livestock and people if eaten. It should be kept away from grazing animals and curious pets.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Madagascar, where it grows in dry, rocky and disturbed ground. Its extraordinary ability to reproduce vegetatively has made it a successful colonist far beyond its home: it has naturalised and become a weed in many warm regions of the world, including parts of Australia, the southern United States and various subtropical islands. In these places the plantlets establish quickly in cracks, pots and open soil, and populations can be difficult to clear once settled.
Cultivation
Kalanchoe daigremontiana is famously easy — arguably too easy. It thrives in bright light to full sun, which keeps the growth compact and brings out the leaf mottling; in low light it stretches and grows pale. Plant it in a free-draining succulent mix, water when the soil has dried out, and cut back watering in winter. It is frost-tender and should be brought indoors or under cover where temperatures drop near freezing.
The main challenge in cultivation is containment rather than survival. Dropped plantlets will root in neighbouring pots, in the gravel of the greenhouse floor, and anywhere else they land, so many growers stand the plant apart from their prized specimens and sweep up strays. Where the species can escape into the garden or the wild, it is best kept as a contained houseplant. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Propagation could hardly be simpler: the plantlets that form along the leaf margins are ready-made offsets. Detached or fallen plantlets pressed onto the surface of a gritty mix root within days. Stem cuttings and whole leaves will also strike readily, and the species can be raised from seed, though few growers ever need to bother given how freely it clones itself. See Propagation — cuttings for related technique.
Common problems
- Weediness — the plantlets colonise other pots and beds; sweep up strays and dispose of them responsibly rather than composting where they can regrow.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the stem stretch, lean and lose its leaf colour.
- Rot — as with most succulents, a slow-draining mix or standing water causes soft, mushy stems and roots.
- Pests — mealybugs and aphids occasionally gather on the tender growth and around the plantlets; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Kalanchoe — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Repotting · Pests and diseases