Scientific Name
Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier
Common Name(s)
Alligator Plant, Devil's Backbone, Mexican Hat Plant, Mother of Thousands
Synonym(s)
Bryophyllum daigremontianum, Kalanchoe daigremontianum
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoeae
Genus: Kalanchoe
Description
Kalanchoe daigremontiana, also known as Bryophyllum daigremontianum, is a monocarpic succulent with a simple, brownish, erect or decumbent stem with thick fleshy leaves with numerous bulbils on the teeth. It grows up to 3 feet (1 m) tall. Leaves are very variable in size, color, and shape. They are dark green, pinkish-green to purplish-green with brown-red spots, up to 8 inches (20 cm) long and up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) wide, and held on up to 2 inches (5 cm) long petioles. Flowers are grayish-pink or sometimes reddish to purple, bell-shaped, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long, and appear in umbrella-like terminal inflorescence in early winter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
This succulent loves to receive a good dose of the direct morning sun. It can take any amount of humidity, but the one thing it cannot take is soggy soil. To prevent this, only plant Mother of Thousands in a soil mix for succulents or create your own. Also, only plant this succulent in a terracotta pot that has a drainage hole. This will reduce the chances of overwatering. As far as watering this plant goes, water until moisture comes out the bottom of the pot, and then do not water until the first 2 inches (5 cm) of soil is dry.
In the spring, begin to take your plant outside to harden off. This succulent loves the warm summer weather but not gradually exposing your plant to the outdoors will cause scorching of the leaves.
Before the first frost of the year, bring your Mother of Thousands indoors but do this gradually. A drastic move from the outside in will cause plant stress.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for a Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana).
Origin
This species is native to the Fiherenana River valley and Androhibolava mountains in southwest Madagascar.
Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Kalanchoe
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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