Kalanchoe x houghtonii (Mother of Millions Hybrid)

Scientific Name

Kalanchoe x houghtonii D. B. Ward

Common Names

Mother of Millions Hybrid, Mother of Thousands, Mother of Thousands ‘Houghtonii’, Mexican Hat Plant, Good Luck Plant, Devil’s Backbone

Synonyms

Bryophyllum x houghtonii

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoeae
Genus: Kalanchoe

Description

Kalanchoe x houghtonii is a hybrid of Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe delagoensis, and it can be identified by the V-shaped leaved. It is a biennial erect, unbranching plant up to 30 inches (75 cm) tall. Leaves are arched, boat-shaped, fleshy, tricorncred, and emerald green to brownish-green in color, usually with purple splotches beneath and serrated margins. Plantlets are produced at the margins of leaves. Flowers are pendulous orange and pink in color.

Photo via binary-nature.de

How to Grow and Care

Kalanchoes are not particularly hard to grow, and the flowering varieties are highly rewarding for their colorful and long-lasting flowers. They prefer bright, sunny locations, especially in the summer growing season. During the winter, consider a south-facing window. Water moderately throughout the summer and reduce watering in the winter. Let the soil surface dry out between waterings, and in the winter, the plant can almost dry out. Watch the fleshy leaves for signs of water distress. They prefer warmth. Do not let fall below 55ºF (12.7ºC). An ordinary potting soil mix is fine. Feed bi-weekly in the summer with a liquid fertilizer, or use slow-release pellets. Many kinds of Kalanchoe will produce tiny plantlets along the leaf margins that can be individually potted up… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Kalanchoe.