Kalanchoe: Types, Indoor Care and How to Make It Rebloom

Kalanchoe is one of the most popular flowering succulents: a compact plant with fleshy leaves that covers itself in clusters of red, pink, yellow, orange or white flowers for weeks. It is easy to grow, but after the first bloom many people do not know how to make it flower again. Here are the main types and how to care for them. More flowers with photos, names and meanings are in our types of flowers guide.

Flowering plants as gifts: potted plants and flowers in a box.

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Types of kalanchoe

Kalanchoe belongs to the stonecrop family; most species come from Madagascar and Africa.

• Flaming Katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is the common flowering kalanchoe with single flowers.
• Calandiva is a group of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivars with double flowers that look like tiny roses.
• Mother-of-thousands types (K. daigremontiana, K. pinnata) grow tiny plantlets with roots along the leaf edges, which drop off and root on their own.
• Foliage kalanchoes include the panda plant with furry silver leaves and others.

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Care

• Light. Bright, with some morning or evening sun; in shade the stems stretch and it will not flower.
• Watering. Only once the soil has dried out; rarely in winter. Empty the saucer: succulent roots rot quickly.
• Soil. Succulent mix with drainage at the bottom of the pot.
• Temperature. 18–25 °C in summer and 12–16 °C in winter; the cool helps buds form.

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How to make it rebloom

Flaming Katy is a short-day plant: buds form when the nights are longer than the days. Growers produce flowering plants by creating these conditions artificially, so at home a kalanchoe often just grows leaves after its first bloom.

• After flowering, remove the flower stalks and cut back any leggy shoots.
• Let the plant rest for about a month with less water and no feeding.
• Then, for about 6 weeks, give it around 14 hours of total darkness a day: cover it with a lightproof box in the evening or put it in a dark cupboard, and return it to a bright window in the morning.
• Once buds appear, stop the dark treatment and resume normal watering and flowering-plant feed.

Propagation

Kalanchoe roots easily from cuttings: cut a 5–8 cm tip, let the cut dry for a day or two and plant it in moist, sandy compost. Mother-of-thousands types are propagated from the plantlets on their leaves.

Safety

Kalanchoe is toxic to cats and dogs because its leaves contain compounds that affect the heart. Keep it out of pets’ reach. Do not use kalanchoe sap as a home remedy; talk to a doctor about any treatment. More on plants to be careful with: “Houseplants toxic to pets and children”.

Kalanchoe in summer and winter

In summer kalanchoe does well on a balcony or terrace in light shade: direct midday sun can leave reddish scorch marks on the leaves. Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry and feed with succulent fertiliser every 2–3 weeks. In winter it needs coolness (12–16 °C), a bright windowsill and sparse watering — roughly every 2–3 weeks. Short days and cool temperatures trigger bud formation, so keep the pot away from radiators.

Kalanchoe pests and diseases

• Stem and root rot — from overwatering and cold; cut away affected parts and repot into dry soil.
• Powdery mildew — white coating on leaves in stuffy rooms; ventilate and treat with a fungicide.
• Aphids and mealybugs — sticky clusters or “cotton” in leaf axils; wash off with warm soapy water, use an insecticide in severe cases.

FAQ

Why are my kalanchoe stems stretching?

It needs more light. Cut the shoots back and move it to a brighter window.

How often should I water kalanchoe?

About once a week in summer and every 2–3 weeks in winter, always checking that the soil is dry. More winter-flowering plants: “Winter-flowering houseplants”.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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