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Kalanchoe Plant Care: How To Propagate & Grow and This Colorful Succulent

Two Kalanchoe houseplants in pots
Photo Credit
Shutterstock/New Africa
Botanical Name
Kalanchoe spp.
Plant Type
Houseplants
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Neutral to Slightly Alkaline
Bloom Time
Winter
Flower Color
Pink
Red
Orange
Yellow
White
Hardiness Zone
10
11

Growing Kalanchoe: Watering, Lighting, Propagation, Pruning, and More!

Written By: Lauren Landers Master Gardener and Contributing Writer

If you want to bring more sunshine into your home in winter, consider adding a kalanchoe or two to your houseplant collection. These easy-care succulents know how to leaf an impression with their funky leaves and ability to bloom in midwinter. Kalanchoes are low-maintenance succulents that require minimal water and attention. Everything you need to care for and grow them is right here in this simple guide.

About Kalanchoe Plants

There are around 125 species of Kalanchoe, and countless hybrid varieties that range in shape, size, color, and bloom time. Most types of kalanchoe are native to Madagascar and are well-adapted to survive periods of drought and dry soil. 

If you’ve had success growing succulents in the past, kalanchoe should be no trouble to keep. Just make sure to provide these plants with enough light, and don’t let their soil get too soggy. Kalanchoe plants are also toxic to pets, so you’ll want to keep them out of reach of your furry friends, too.

If you live in growing zones 10 through 12, you may be able to grow kalanchoe in pots year-round on a sunny porch; however, some species do have invasive tendencies and should be handled with care. Growers in cooler climates, on the other hand, will need to content themselves with growing kalanchoe indoors in a sunny south- or west-facing window.

Some kalanchoes maintain an upright growth habit, while others sprawl along the ground and trail over planter edges. Like other succulents, kalanchoe leaves are plump and fleshy, but they can be glossy or velvety, paddle-shaped, oblong, or have toothed or scalloped leaf margins. Some varieties also flower in midwinter and produce clusters of brightly colored blooms in shades of orange, pink, red, white, or yellow,!

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Planting

Kalanchoe tomentosa plant
Image credit: Shutterstock/Sandra Alkado

I like to repot houseplants as soon as I bring them home, and this is particularly true for succulents like kalanchoe. Often, nursery containers are made of plastic, which can hold onto water and make succulent roots more likely to rot. Repotting new plants also gives you the chance to check them over for potential pests and plant them in pretty new containers that match your home’s décor!

  • Remove the old pot: Gently remove your kalanchoe from its old container while supporting the plant’s stems and leaves so they don’t break. If the pot isn’t budging, run a butter knife around the pot’s rim to gently loosen the soil.
  • Choose the right pot. Kalanchoe don’t like to be root-bound, but repotting them into an oversized container can increase the chances of overwatering your plant. For best results, choose a terra-cotta pot with drainage holes in the base; select a container that’s just 1 inch larger than your plant’s nursery pot.
  • Use well-draining soil. Well-draining soil is essential for succulents, so I usually grow kalanchoe in a store-bought potting mix intended for succulents. You can also grow these plants in a mix of 1 part potting soil and 1 part cactus soil, or blend plenty of perlite or sand into a standard potting mix to increase drainage.
  • Handle leaves carefully. Kalanchoe leaves are filled with water and break easily with rough handling.
  • Plant correctly. To repot, gently wriggle your kalanchoe out of its nursery container, tease apart the roots, and place at the same depth it was growing in its old container. Fill in the empty space around the plant’s roots with more potting soil, water well, and use sharp scissors to nip away any damaged leaves or spent flowers.

Growing

Kalanchoe plant with pink flowers
Image credit: Shutterstock/SE-photo

Kalanchoe grows well in windows that receive bright light throughout the day. But if you want to prompt your plants to rebloom, you’ll need to deprive them of light in autumn—much like how you’d trick poinsettia into turning red!

Since kalanchoe blooms according to day length, move your plant into a location that stays completely dark for about 14 hours a day starting in October. Depriving kalanchoe of light in the evening for about 4 to 6 weeks should prompt these plants to set flower buds and start blooming in January or February. However, if you’d like your kalanchoe to bloom at Christmas, you’ll need to start depriving your plant of light a few weeks earlier.

Kalanchoe Plant Care

Water
Kalanchoe stores water in its leaves and should be watered sparingly to keep them from developing root rot. During the growing season, they usually only need to be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks. Plants will need even less water in winter. Always test the soil before watering kalanchoe, and deeply water them only when their potting mix is completely dry.
Light
Indoor kalanchoe should be kept in bright indirect light, but outdoor plants can be grown in full sun to part shade.
Temperature
Standard room temperatures are perfect for kalanchoe, but they should be protected from freezing weather. If you move your plants outdoors during summer, begin to slowly acclimate your plants to outdoor living when temperatures are consistently above 60ºF and bring your kalanchoe back indoors before the weather turns chilly.

You can keep kalanchoe in bloom a bit longer by moving them into a cool room that stays between 45° and 65°F when the plants start flowering.
Fertilizer
Kalanchoe should be fertilized monthly in spring and summer with an organic, low-nitrogen fertilizer that’s intended for houseplants. Follow the dosing instructions on the fertilizer packaging, and withhold all fertilizer in winter and when the plants are in bloom.
Toxicity
These plants are toxic to pets and humans.

Types

Most indoor kalanchoe grow to around 6 to 12 inches high, but some varieties can stretch up to 20 feet tall outdoors. If you’re on the hunt for a new kalanchoe, here are some of the most popular species and what makes each stand out.

  • Florist’s Kalanchoe or ‘Widow’s Thrill’ (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana): One of the easiest to find, ‘Widow’s Thrill’ has glossy leaves with scalloped edges and produces brightly colored clusters of flowers in midwinter.
  • Panda Plant (K. tomentosa): A favorite with children, the panda plant is easily recognized by its silvery leaves that have brown dots at the edges and are coated in a delicate, velvety fuzz.
  • Mother of Thousands (K. daigremontiana): If you want to propagate houseplants, mother of thousands is one of the best plants for the job. This kalanchoe grows to about 3 feet in height and produces countless baby plants along the margins of its toothed leaves.

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Pests/Diseases

Most of the problems that you may encounter when growing kalanchoe are due to watering or lighting issues. Making sure your plants are watered sparingly and grown in bright, indirect light is the best way to keep your plants around for the long haul.

  • Drooping stems and leaves typically indicate that kalanchoe plants are overwatered. However, if your plants haven’t been watered in a long time and their soil feels bone dry, they may need more moisture.
  • Leaf discoloration can be caused by nutrient deficiencies, but it can also occur when they receive too much sun.
  • Leggy growth happens when kalanchoe doesn’t get enough light. Plants in low-light homes may also stop flowering.

Potting and Repotting

Kalanchoe grow slowly, but they should still be repotted every year or two as they don’t take well to being rootbound. Fall is the best time to repot these plants, but they can be repotted in other seasons if needed.

Propagation

Kalanchoe pinnata houseplant
Image credit: Shutterstock/LB K

Although kalanchoe can be grown from seed, it’s much easier to propagate kalanchoe plants from stem cuttings collected in late spring to early summer.

  • Take the cuttings: Take 4-inch-long cuttings from kalanchoe stems at a leaf node. Use a sharp, sterilized knife or pair of scissors to do this.
  • Let them dry: Place the cuttings to the side in a warm, dry area for a few days to allow the cut stem ends to callus over.
  • Pot them up: Dip the cut stem ends in rooting hormone and plant the cuttings 2 inches deep in pre-poked holes in pots filled with potting mix.
  • Wait for roots: Move the cuttings into bright, indirect light and don’t water the cuttings for 1 month. After this time, the cuttings should have rooted, and you can safely care for them just like the parent plant.

Seasonal Care
Kalanchoe flowers more abundantly if you deprive your plants of light in the fall. Fertilize during spring and summer, and deadhead old flowers when they fade. You can also encourage these plants to grow bushier by pinching back leggy stems to a leaf node in spring.

Wit and Wisdom

Houseplant Guides
About The Author
Lauren Landers

Lauren Landers

Master Gardener and Contributing Writer

Lauren is a gardener, writer, and public speaker with over a decade of experience helping others learn about gardening, homesteading, and sustainable living.She combines years of practical gardening a...
Read More from Lauren Landers

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