Scientific Name
Kalanchoe delagoensis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Common Name(s)
Chandelier Plant, Lizard Plant, Mother of Millions, Mother of Thousands
Synonym(s)
Kalanchoe tubiflora, Kalanchoe verticillata, Bryophyllum tubiflorum, Bryophyllum verticillatum, Bryophyllum delagoense, Geaya purpurea
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoeae
Genus: Kalanchoe
Description
Kalanchoe delagoensis, also known as Bryophyllum delagoense, is a succulent plant that reproduces asexually by producing small plantlets at the end of each leaf. The stem is erect, up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall, and often with short sterile shoots at the base. Leaves are simple, sub-cylindrical, up to 6 inches (15 cm) long, up to 0.2 inches (0.6 cm) wide, and often spotted with reddish-brown. The margins near the apex have 3 to 9 conical teeth, between which the plantlets are produced. Flowers are orange to scarlet, trumpet-shaped, and up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long. They dangle in clusters at the top of the stem.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
It is easy to grow the Chandelier Plant. You have to learn to control its spread as a part of caring. Growing this plant can be worth all this trouble when you learn how to keep it under control, especially when the orange blooms appear.
For those with more hospitable conditions, learning how to grow Kalanchoe and keep it within bounds may include growing it in a large container or even as a houseplant. While drought and heat resistant, the plant is also adaptable to most growing conditions and will often recover from a mild winter freeze.
Chandelier Plant care often includes removing small plants that have jumped from the container into the ground or another pot. This happens because Chandelier Plant forms small plantlets at the ends of the leaves. When these are dislodged, they immediately take root and begin growing in any available soil. Therefore, removing them from unwanted areas is an integral part of caring for Chandelier Plants.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for a Chandelier Plant (Kalanchoe delagoensis).
Origin
This species is native to 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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