How to grow Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana · flaming Katy, Christmas kalanchoe, widow's thrill

A compact succulent from Madagascar with fleshy, scalloped leaves and dense clusters of small red, orange, yellow, pink or white flowers. It flowers naturally from about February into spring, for around eight weeks.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Crassulaceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Sow straight into the bed after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 14 days	16…21 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 74 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 134 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 21 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright light with some sun – an east- or west-facing window in summer, a south-facing one in winter; shade it from hot afternoon sun, which scorches the leaves. Too little light gives poor flowering.

Soil

Free-draining cactus or succulent compost, or multi-purpose compost with added grit or perlite, in a pot with drainage holes.

Care

Let the compost dry out before watering, then water deeply and let the excess drain; water very sparingly in winter. Overwatering causes root and stem rot. Feed a balanced liquid fertiliser two or three times in spring and summer, up to monthly, and remove faded flowers. To make it flower again, give it about 14 hours of total darkness every night for at least six weeks in autumn or winter. Keep it above 10 °C. It is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten.

Pests and diseases of Kalanchoe

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.